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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.

Make a worksheet

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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468
Word bank
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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. My father caught me by the ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  14. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. spell — a short time
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. bear — the animal
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. cell — a phone
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. spell — letters
  13. content — the amount
  14. content — videos and posts
  15. pit — a hole
  16. pit — in a race
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bear — the animal
  19. toast — bread
  20. content — happy
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. spell — magic
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. cell — in biology

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