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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  17. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. shower — to wash
  4. court — of law
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. last — finally
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. court — of a king
  11. court — for sport
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. last — to go on
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bass — the fish
  17. bass — the instrument
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. bass — low music
  20. last — final
  21. shower — rain
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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