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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. present — a gift
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. staff — employees
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. present — there
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. staff — employees
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. present — the time now
  15. bear — the animal
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. bear — the animal
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. wind — moving air
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. staff — a stick

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