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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 116 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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  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. last — final
  3. rash — hasty
  4. last — to go on
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. last — finally
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. net — in sport
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. net — for catching
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. present — the time now
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. net — after costs
  23. rash — a series
  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