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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fall — the season
  4. fall — to drop
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. face — part of the head
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. scale — size or range
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. kick — in football
  12. scale — in music
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. face — to confront
  16. rule — a law
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. face — to point toward
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kick — with a leg
  23. rule — government
  24. fall — to drop

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