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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. What do you think of the new ________________?
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bank — for money
  8. swing — to play on
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. bank — for money
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. swing — in golf
  15. ball — a dance
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. bank — of a river
  18. season — of the year
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. temple — side of the head
  21. swing — music
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. season — in sport
  24. ball — a great time

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