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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. rest — what's left
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rest — a break
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. roll — a list
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. lie — to recline
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. mark — a trace
  18. roll — a cake
  19. rest — what's left
  20. mine — for digging
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. straw — a straw man

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