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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mate — to breed
  3. rash — hasty
  4. mate — a partner
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. court — of law
  8. tube — a container
  9. rash — a series
  10. court — for sport
  11. tube — the underground
  12. bank — for money
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bank — of a river
  16. mate — a friend
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. lie — to recline
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. court — of a king
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. bank — for money
  24. lie — an untruth

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