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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.

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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fall — the season
  4. staff — a stick
  5. fall — to drop
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. board — to get on
  9. tube — a container
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. fork — in a road
  12. fall — to drop
  13. staff — employees
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. board — a committee
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. staff — employees
  18. fork — to eat with

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