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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stand — to bear
  3. swing — music
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. swing — in golf
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. bear — the animal
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. swing — to play on
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. perch — the fish

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