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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. spell — magic
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. stand — to bear
  10. snap — to click
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. wax — to grow
  13. spell — letters
  14. lean — to bend
  15. lean — thin
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. ball — a dance
  19. jam — to spread on bread
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. spell — a short time
  23. jam — in traffic
  24. ball — a great time

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