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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 little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bear — the animal
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. bass — the fish
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bass — low music
  8. mate — to breed
  9. game — wild animals
  10. bear — the animal
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. chip — to eat
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. game — a match
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mate — a friend
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pop — soda
  20. pop — music
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bear — to put up with

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