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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. rush — hurry
  3. cap — of ice
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. bear — the animal
  8. cap — a lid
  9. chip — for betting
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. content — happy
  13. vault — a safe
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. chip — to eat
  17. content — the amount
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. vault — in gymnastics
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bear — the animal
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. cap — a hat
  24. leaves — to go away

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