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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 120 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.

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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. temple — side of the head
  7. cap — a lid
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. cap — of ice
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. deal — to handle
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. cap — a hat
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. rush — hurry

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