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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. net — after costs
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. net — for catching
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. root — the cause
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. suit — to fit
  11. suit — in cards
  12. mark — a grade
  13. face — to confront
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. tube — a container
  16. face — part of the head
  17. net — in sport
  18. tube — the underground
  19. root — of a word
  20. face — to point toward
  21. suit — clothes
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. mark — a trace
  24. root — of a plant

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