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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. ground — crushed
  5. chair — a leader
  6. lean — to bend
  7. suit — in cards
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. shower — to wash
  11. shower — rain
  12. deal — to handle
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. rash — hasty
  15. ground — the earth
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. lean — thin
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. suit — clothes
  22. ground — a position
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. suit — to fit

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