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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. You don't need to ________________ round.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rock — music
  4. rock — a stone
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. capital — money
  9. pop — music
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. pop — soda
  13. pop — to visit
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. capital — a city
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. leaves — of a tree

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