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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 124 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 ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. That must've been a ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  9. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. saw — the tool
  4. rush — a thrill
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. suit — to fit
  8. toast — a drink to someone
  9. squash — the vegetable
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. rush — hurry
  12. squash — the sport
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. net — after costs
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. suit — clothes
  19. net — in sport
  20. squash — to crush
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. net — for catching
  23. suit — in cards
  24. toast — bread

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