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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. pit — a hole
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. wake — a trail
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. bear — the animal
  12. ball — a dance
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. season — of the year
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. season — in sport
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. ball — a great time
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. pit — in a race

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