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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 bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  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. jam — in traffic
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. wind — moving air
  5. wake — to stop sleeping
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. squash — the sport
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. squash — to crush
  12. wake — a trail
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. jam — a tight spot
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — to tire
  20. wind — moving air
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. pitch — completely
  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