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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He was locked up in a ________________.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. cell — a phone
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fork — in a road
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. rest — what's left
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. bear — the animal
  10. swing — in golf
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. cell — in biology
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. lie — to recline
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. cell — in a prison
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. swing — to play on
  20. cue — a hint
  21. cue — for pool
  22. cue — a signal
  23. rest — a break
  24. swing — music

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