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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. bear — the animal
  4. land — to come down
  5. land — ground
  6. mark — a grade
  7. vault — in gymnastics
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. land — a country
  10. vault — a safe
  11. bear — the animal
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. firm — steady
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. mark — a trace
  24. bear — to put up with

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