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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. perch — the fish
  3. band — a ring
  4. band — a music group
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. vault — a safe
  7. bound — tied together
  8. current — of water
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bound — obliged
  11. current — happening now
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. lean — thin
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lean — to bend
  19. bound — certain
  20. toast — bread
  21. current — electric
  22. vault — in gymnastics
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. lean — to rest against

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