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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  4. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He was locked up in a ________________.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. suit — clothes
  3. wave — a sudden rise
  4. cell — a phone
  5. deal — to handle
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. last — final
  8. cell — in biology
  9. suit — in cards
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. cell — in a prison
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. last — finally
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. last — to go on
  24. mouse — the animal

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