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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. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — the animal
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. saw — the tool
  4. bound — certain
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. last — finally
  7. saw — the tool
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. temple — side of the head
  10. bound — tied together
  11. last — to go on
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. bound — obliged
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. last — final
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. bat — in an idiom
  24. cabinet — ministers

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