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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 120 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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  8. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  16. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. bear — the animal
  4. lean — thin
  5. mate — a partner
  6. lean — to bend
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. squash — the sport
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. mate — a friend
  11. cold — not warm
  12. bear — the animal
  13. squash — to crush
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. cold — the Cold War
  16. cold — an illness
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mark — a trace
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. mate — to breed
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. mark — to pay attention

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