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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. land — a country
  4. bound — tied together
  5. staff — employees
  6. lie — to recline
  7. race — a contest
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. race — the arms race
  10. bound — certain
  11. wake — before a funeral
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. staff — employees
  14. bound — obliged
  15. wake — a trail
  16. land — to come down
  17. race — humankind
  18. land — ground
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. staff — a stick
  24. bowl — to roll

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