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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. rock — music
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. fall — to drop
  8. squash — to crush
  9. fall — the season
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. season — in sport
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. board — to get on
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. squash — the sport
  22. rock — a stone
  23. board — a committee
  24. fall — to drop

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