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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. spell — a short time
  3. fall — to drop
  4. stock — goods
  5. fall — to drop
  6. present — there
  7. stock — shares
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. hand — help
  10. board — to get on
  11. spell — letters
  12. suit — in cards
  13. present — the time now
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. spell — magic
  16. fall — the season
  17. suit — to fit
  18. present — a gift
  19. board — a committee
  20. hand — in cards
  21. suit — clothes
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. leaves — of a tree

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