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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.

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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. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. kick — in football
  4. fall — the season
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. suit — in cards
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. fall — to drop
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. suit — clothes
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. fall — to drop
  24. kick — a thrill

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