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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.

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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. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. I had a ________________ with my boss today.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bank — for money
  3. land — a country
  4. prune — to trim
  5. prune — to trim
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. present — there
  10. row — to paddle
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. bank — of a river
  13. row — a line
  14. vault — in gymnastics
  15. present — the time now
  16. present — a gift
  17. land — to come down
  18. bank — for money
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. land — ground
  24. row — a quarrel

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