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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The tickets are free of ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. field — for sport
  3. lie — to recline
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rest — what's left
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. charge — electricity
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. rest — a break
  10. field — farmland
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. field — a subject
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. charge — a price
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. bound — tied together
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. bound — certain
  21. bound — obliged
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. charge — in control

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