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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. The water is too ________________.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. fall — to drop
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. cold — an illness
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. suit — to fit
  8. suit — clothes
  9. chip — for betting
  10. fall — to drop
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. court — of law
  15. chip — to eat
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. court — for sport
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. cold — not warm
  22. fall — the season
  23. suit — in cards
  24. court — of a king

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