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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. spell — letters
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. ball — a great time
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. ball — a dance
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mate — to breed
  12. spell — magic
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. fork — in a road
  15. pop — to visit
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. pop — music
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mate — a partner
  20. spell — a short time
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. pop — soda
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. mate — a friend

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