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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. last — to go on
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wound — an injury
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. march — the month
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — for betting
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. march — the month
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. suit — to fit
  18. last — finally
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. march — music
  24. last — final

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