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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. object — an aim
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. object — a thing
  5. wound — an injury
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. object — to protest
  11. wound — an injury
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. lean — thin
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. trunk — of an elephant
  18. lean — to bend
  19. mark — a trace
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. leaves — of a tree

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