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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. lean — to bend
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bear — the animal
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. lean — thin
  11. can — a tin
  12. date — the fruit
  13. fork — in a road
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. drill — army training
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. can — a tin
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. drill — the tool
  21. drill — a practice
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. dip — to sink
  24. can — to be able to

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