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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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pop — soda
  4. rest — a break
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. suit — to fit
  8. row — to paddle
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. dip — to sink
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. spell — letters
  13. suit — in cards
  14. pop — to visit
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. spell — a short time
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pop — music
  19. spell — magic
  20. row — a line
  21. suit — clothes
  22. rest — what's left
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wax — to grow

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