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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 124 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bear — the animal
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. mate — a friend
  7. rash — hasty
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. mate — a partner
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. rash — a series
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. straw — dry grass
  18. perch — the fish
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bear — the animal
  21. vault — a safe
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. mate — to breed

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