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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 116 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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468
Word bank
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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 would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. pit — in a race
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rest — what's left
  7. fall — to drop
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. sharp — clever
  10. rest — what's left
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. fork — in a road
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. fall — the season
  24. fall — to drop

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