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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. wound — past of 'wind'
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wound — an injury
  7. charge — in control
  8. perch — the fish
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. wound — an injury
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. charge — electricity
  13. branch — a division
  14. ball — a dance
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ball — a great time
  23. charge — a price
  24. bear — the animal

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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