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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  3. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  17. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  18. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. can — a tin
  3. spring — the season
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. last — to go on
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. branch — a division
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. spring — a coil
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. spring — of water
  14. plane — a tool
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. can — a tin
  17. stick — to attach or keep to
  18. branch — of a tree
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. last — finally
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. can — to be able to
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. last — final

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