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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  3. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wound — an injury
  3. squash — the sport
  4. pit — in a race
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. pit — a hole
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. hand — help
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. wound — an injury
  12. squash — the vegetable
  13. hand — in cards
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. stand — to bear
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. squash — to crush
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. stand — on your feet

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