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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bass — the instrument
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. march — music
  10. march — the month
  11. rest — what's left
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. pound — to hit hard
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bass — the fish
  16. stand — to bear
  17. bass — low music
  18. pound — a weight
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. rest — what's left
  21. march — the month
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. rest — a break

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