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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 120 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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. swing — to play on
  6. trunk — of an elephant
  7. lie — to recline
  8. swing — music
  9. suit — in cards
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. clip — to cut
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. clip — a video
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. clip — for paper
  19. swing — in golf
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. suit — clothes
  22. deal — to handle
  23. foot — a measure
  24. foot — part of the body

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