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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 124 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. lean — thin
  3. capital — a big letter
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mug — a face
  10. lean — to bend
  11. mug — a cup
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mug — to rob
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. capital — money
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. capital — a city
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bear — the animal

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