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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. mark — a trace
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. perch — the fish
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. saw — the tool
  16. rock — music
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mine — for digging
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mine — an explosive

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