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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. There's no middle ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. When was this ________________ built?
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. fall — the season
  4. present — the time now
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. present — there
  13. lie — to recline
  14. ground — a position
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. temple — a place of worship
  18. ground — crushed
  19. fall — to drop
  20. present — a gift
  21. plane — a tool
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fall — to drop

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