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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.

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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. capital — money
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. stand — to bear
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. spell — magic
  7. capital — a city
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bear — the animal
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. kick — in football
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. bear — the animal
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. spell — letters
  23. spell — a short time
  24. safe — out of danger

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