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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 120 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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. When was this ________________ built?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mug — to rob
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. mug — a cup
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. band — a ring
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. saw — the tool
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. capital — a city
  17. saw — the tool
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. band — a music group
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. capital — money
  24. mug — a face

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