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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. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to click
  2. rash — a series
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. club — for golf
  5. file — a document
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. file — a tool
  10. rash — hasty
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. file — a line of people
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. club — for dancing
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. club — a group
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. mouse — the animal

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