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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. pop — soda
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. fall — the season
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spell — magic
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. mate — a friend
  9. fall — to drop
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. club — a group
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mate — to breed
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. pop — to visit
  16. club — for golf
  17. fall — to drop
  18. club — for dancing
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. spell — a short time
  21. spell — letters
  22. mate — a partner
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — to go away

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