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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. When was this ________________ built?
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. suit — to fit
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. branch — a division
  6. cold — not warm
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. suit — clothes
  9. cold — an illness
  10. squash — the sport
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. squash — to crush
  18. ball — a great time
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ball — a dance
  24. branch — of a bank

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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