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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. chest — of your body
  5. sharp — clever
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. firm — decided
  8. cue — for pool
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. cue — a signal
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cue — a hint
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. firm — a company
  20. chest — of your body
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. chest — a box
  24. firm — steady

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