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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. chip — for betting
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. shower — rain
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. shower — to wash
  8. saw — the tool
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. rest — what's left
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. stem — to come from
  14. perch — the fish
  15. rest — a break
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. stem — a stem cell
  19. rest — what's left
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. chip — to eat
  24. perch — for a bird

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