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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 120 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 ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. can — a tin
  4. cap — a lid
  5. fall — the season
  6. cap — of ice
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. prune — to trim
  9. band — a ring
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — to drop
  14. patient — calm and waiting
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. cap — a hat
  17. band — a music group
  18. prune — to trim
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. can — a tin
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. can — to be able to
  24. patient — a sick person

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