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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. There's no middle ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. wound — an injury
  3. cue — a signal
  4. ground — crushed
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chip — for betting
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. wax — in the ear
  9. chip — to eat
  10. cue — a hint
  11. rash — a series
  12. rash — hasty
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. cue — for pool
  17. ground — the earth
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. wax — to grow
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. ground — a position
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. wax — for sculpting

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