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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. rest — what's left
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. drill — the tool
  9. rest — a break
  10. bark — to shout
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wound — an injury
  14. wound — past of 'wind'
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. drill — army training
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. staff — employees
  20. staff — employees
  21. drill — a practice
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. staff — a stick
  24. stand — to bear

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