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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. spring — the season
  4. bear — the animal
  5. foot — a measure
  6. chip — for betting
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. chip — to eat
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. lie — to recline
  22. spring — of water
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. spring — a coil

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