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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. hand — help
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. wake — before a funeral
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. wake — a trail
  7. cell — a phone
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. suit — to fit
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. cell — in biology
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. ball — a great time
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. hand — in cards
  19. mine — belonging to me
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. mine — for digging
  22. ball — a dance
  23. suit — clothes
  24. leaves — to go away

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