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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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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. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. present — there
  3. bark — of a tree
  4. rest — a break
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. present — the time now
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. bark — to shout
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. kick — a thrill
  14. spell — a short time
  15. spell — letters
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bark — a dog's sound
  18. rest — what's left
  19. lie — to recline
  20. spell — magic
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. kick — in football
  23. present — a gift
  24. mouse — the animal

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