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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. rest — what's left
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. rest — a break
  7. land — a country
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. kick — in football
  16. land — to come down
  17. rest — what's left
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. pass — a permit
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. land — ground
  22. capital — money
  23. capital — a city
  24. kick — a thrill

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