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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  12. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. mine — for digging
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. wake — a trail
  7. suit — clothes
  8. fine — high quality
  9. chest — a box
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. race — a contest
  12. race — humankind
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. race — the arms race
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. chest — of your body
  17. spring — of water
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. fine — all right
  20. suit — to fit
  21. suit — in cards
  22. spring — the season
  23. spring — a coil
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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