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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  20. The ________________ market has crashed.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. My father caught me by the ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lean — to bend
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. arm — a part of something
  6. spring — the season
  7. saw — the tool
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lean — to rest against
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. saw — the tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. stock — goods
  18. spring — of water
  19. stock — a soup base
  20. stock — shares
  21. lean — thin
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. mark — a trace
  24. spring — a coil

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