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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We're on a ________________ here.
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. roll — on a roll
  3. roll — a cake
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. bank — of a river
  6. chest — of your body
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. track — a path
  9. object — to protest
  10. bank — for money
  11. track — a song
  12. object — an aim
  13. stem — a stem cell
  14. object — a thing
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. track — to keep track
  17. bank — for money
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. roll — a list
  20. chest — a box
  21. chest — of your body
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. stem — to come from

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