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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. present — the time now
  4. pitch — a sports field
  5. cap — of ice
  6. cap — a lid
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. present — there
  14. swing — to play on
  15. fine — all right
  16. swing — in golf
  17. pitch — a sales talk
  18. pitch — completely
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. present — a gift
  22. swing — music
  23. cap — a hat
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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