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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. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fine — all right
  4. mug — a face
  5. suit — in cards
  6. mug — a cup
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. perch — the fish
  9. can — a tin
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. suit — clothes
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. fine — high quality
  15. can — to be able to
  16. mine — for digging
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. chest — of your body
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. can — a tin
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. mug — to rob
  24. chest — a box

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