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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  21. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. fork — in a road
  4. shower — to wash
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — in cards
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. board — a committee
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. file — a tool
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. file — a document
  13. staff — employees
  14. suit — clothes
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. file — a line of people
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. shower — rain
  20. board — to get on
  21. shower — a meteor shower
  22. staff — a stick
  23. suit — to fit
  24. leaves — lets stay

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