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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. We're on a ________________ here.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. shower — to wash
  4. roll — on a roll
  5. pop — music
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. lie — to recline
  10. roll — a list
  11. season — of the year
  12. roll — a cake
  13. shower — rain
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. pop — soda
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. foot — a measure
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. board — to get on
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. pop — to visit
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. board — a committee
  24. board — a flat piece

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