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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. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. wind — moving air
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. wind — moving air
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. kick — in football
  15. snap — to click
  16. mate — a friend
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mate — to breed
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. mate — a partner

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