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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. tear — to rip
  3. wind — moving air
  4. wind — moving air
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — a company
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. firm — decided
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. suit — clothes
  12. sharp — clever
  13. toast — bread
  14. suit — in cards
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. tear — from crying
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. suit — to fit
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. tear — from crying
  24. bowl — a dish

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