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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. can — to be able to
  4. sharp — clever
  5. wind — moving air
  6. spell — letters
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. suit — to fit
  9. can — a tin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. spell — a short time
  16. suit — clothes
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. can — a tin
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. suit — in cards
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. spell — magic

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