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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. False peace will not ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. rash — a series
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. lie — to recline
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. last — final
  7. last — finally
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. last — to go on
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. bat — the animal
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. foot — a measure
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. rash — hasty
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. cap — of ice
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. cap — a lid

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