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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 116 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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. The tickets are free of ________________.
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. bound — tied together
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. squash — the sport
  6. charge — a price
  7. bound — certain
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. charge — electricity
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bound — obliged
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. stem — of a plant
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. kick — a thrill
  20. charge — in control
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. squash — to crush
  23. kick — in football
  24. stem — to come from

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