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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. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. last — final
  3. tube — the underground
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. mug — a cup
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. last — finally
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. ground — crushed
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. tube — in a tire
  16. tube — a container
  17. ground — the earth
  18. mug — to rob
  19. mug — a face
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. foot — a measure
  22. last — to go on
  23. ground — a position
  24. bat — the animal

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