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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 captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. He was locked up in a ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ took off on time.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  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 — lets stay
  2. board — to get on
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. cell — a phone
  8. plane — a tool
  9. mate — to breed
  10. board — a committee
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mate — a friend
  13. bulb — for light
  14. cell — in a prison
  15. spring — a coil
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. rush — hurry
  19. spring — the season
  20. plane — an aircraft
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. spring — of water
  23. mate — a partner
  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