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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  7. The ________________ market has crashed.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bound — obliged
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. calf — of the leg
  7. stock — shares
  8. stock — goods
  9. roll — a cake
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. band — a ring
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. band — a music group
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. bound — tied together
  19. roll — a list
  20. snap — to click
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bound — certain
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. band — a rubber band

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