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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. row — a line
  5. pop — to visit
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. mate — a partner
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mate — a friend
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. suit — clothes
  18. row — to paddle
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. pop — music
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. pop — soda
  23. mate — to breed
  24. leaves — lets stay

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