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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. cue — for pool
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. fall — the season
  6. suit — clothes
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. clip — a video
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. fall — to drop
  12. suit — to fit
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. fall — to drop
  15. cue — a signal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. clip — for paper
  19. clip — to cut
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. cue — a hint
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. lie — to recline
  24. suit — in cards

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