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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. ground — crushed
  4. mine — for digging
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. firm — steady
  8. ground — the earth
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. firm — a company
  13. firm — decided
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. squash — the sport
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. ground — a position
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. squash — to crush

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