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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. row — a line
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. bear — the animal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. charge — electricity
  8. charge — a price
  9. wind — moving air
  10. suit — clothes
  11. cell — in biology
  12. pit — in a race
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. pit — a hole
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. wind — moving air
  20. cell — a phone
  21. row — to paddle
  22. suit — in cards
  23. charge — in control
  24. suit — to fit

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