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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bear — the animal
  3. can — a tin
  4. cue — for pool
  5. pop — soda
  6. cue — a hint
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. pop — music
  9. hand — in cards
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. rash — hasty
  12. hand — help
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pop — to visit
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rash — a series
  22. bear — the animal
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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