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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 tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Should I buy a wireless ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. field — a subject
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. roll — a list
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. roll — a cake
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. branch — a division
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. field — farmland
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. field — for sport
  24. mouse — for a computer

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