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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. What do you think of the new ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. chip — to eat
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. present — there
  5. shower — rain
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. chip — for betting
  9. present — a gift
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. bark — to shout
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. foot — a measure
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. rush — hurry
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. bark — of a tree
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. shower — to wash
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. present — the time now

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