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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. ball — a dance
  4. ground — crushed
  5. land — to come down
  6. rock — music
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ground — the earth
  10. rock — a stone
  11. ground — a position
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. land — ground
  15. ball — a great time
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. land — a country
  18. ball — a round shape

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com