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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. deal — to handle
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. chest — of your body
  7. lie — to recline
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. band — a music group
  12. chest — a box
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. band — a ring
  20. bark — to shout
  21. can — a tin
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. chest — of your body
  24. leaves — to go away

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