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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as 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 — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. capital — a city
  5. mate — a friend
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. charge — electricity
  10. charge — a price
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. foot — the bottom
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. perch — the fish
  15. foot — a measure
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. capital — money
  20. charge — in control
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mate — a partner
  23. perch — for a bird
  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