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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mug — to rob
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. mate — a partner
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mug — a face
  8. fall — to drop
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. season — of the year
  11. mug — a cup
  12. fall — to drop
  13. fall — the season
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. season — in sport
  20. mate — to breed
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. foot — a measure
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. foot — part of the body

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