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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  20. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. land — ground
  4. saw — the tool
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. saw — the tool
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. land — to come down
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. land — a country
  20. kick — a thrill
  21. bear — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. kick — in football
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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