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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. current — of water
  5. cold — not warm
  6. current — happening now
  7. cold — an illness
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. stand — to bear
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. fall — to drop
  18. perch — the fish
  19. current — electric
  20. fall — the season
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. fall — to drop
  23. cold — the Cold War
  24. squash — to crush

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