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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the vegetable
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. squash — the sport
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. fall — the season
  9. bulb — for light
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. face — part of the head
  12. fall — to drop
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. stand — to bear
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bulb — for light
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. face — to point toward
  20. fall — to drop
  21. face — to confront
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. squash — to crush
  24. wave — with your hand

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