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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. The ________________ took off on time.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. perch — for a bird
  5. bear — the animal
  6. court — of law
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. perch — the fish
  9. court — of a king
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. plane — an aircraft
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. swing — in golf
  14. bear — the animal
  15. swing — music
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. court — for sport
  19. plane — a tool
  20. swing — to play on
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stand — to bear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. nail — for a hammer

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