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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 112 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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. current — happening now
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. tube — a container
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. current — electric
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. snap — to click
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. last — final
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. bear — the animal
  21. last — to go on
  22. tube — the underground
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. current — of water

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