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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  3. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. race — the arms race
  3. race — a contest
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. prune — to trim
  8. patient — calm and waiting
  9. spell — a short time
  10. can — a tin
  11. spell — letters
  12. prune — to trim
  13. can — to be able to
  14. race — humankind
  15. dip — to sink
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. can — a tin
  21. spell — magic
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. dip — a sauce

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