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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. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  9. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  10. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. last — final
  4. season — in sport
  5. branch — a division
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. cap — of ice
  9. cap — a lid
  10. last — finally
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. season — of the year
  14. lie — to recline
  15. bulb — for light
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. chair — a leader
  19. last — to go on
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bulb — for light
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cap — a hat

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