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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. present — the time now
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. pop — music
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. present — a gift
  11. object — a thing
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. object — to protest
  15. object — an aim
  16. pop — to visit
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. lean — to bend
  19. pop — soda
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. present — there
  23. lean — thin
  24. lean — to rest against

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