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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. degree — temperature
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. lie — to recline
  7. hand — help
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. hand — in cards
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. degree — from a university
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. degree — an amount
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pound — a weight
  24. pass — a permit

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