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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. club — for golf
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. branch — of a tree
  7. cue — a hint
  8. spell — a short time
  9. saw — the tool
  10. spell — magic
  11. cue — a signal
  12. fine — all right
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. fork — in a road
  16. fine — high quality
  17. saw — the tool
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. spell — letters
  21. branch — a division
  22. club — a group
  23. cue — for pool
  24. club — for dancing

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