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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 120 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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. wound — an injury
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. wound — an injury
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. ground — the earth
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. mate — a partner
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. ground — a position
  22. mate — a friend
  23. mate — to breed
  24. ground — crushed

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