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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. suit — to fit
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. fall — the season
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. capital — money
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. kick — in football
  9. suit — in cards
  10. fall — to drop
  11. capital — a big letter
  12. chip — to eat
  13. capital — a city
  14. branch — a division
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. craft — boats
  19. chip — for betting
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. suit — clothes
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. craft — a skill
  24. fall — to drop

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