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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. saw — the tool
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pit — in a race
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. land — to come down
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. mate — to breed
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. mate — a friend
  18. land — a country
  19. pit — a hole
  20. saw — the tool
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. land — ground
  24. mug — a face

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