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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. mark — a trace
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. chip — for betting
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. bound — obliged
  7. fall — the season
  8. chip — to eat
  9. mark — a grade
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. branch — a division
  12. craft — a skill
  13. bound — certain
  14. fall — to drop
  15. kid — child
  16. bound — tied together
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. fall — to drop
  22. kid — to tease
  23. craft — boats
  24. branch — of a tree

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