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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. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The water is too ________________.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. Have you found your soul ________________?
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mate — to breed
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. fork — in a road
  10. club — for golf
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. club — for dancing
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. cold — not warm
  17. cold — an illness
  18. bulb — for light
  19. mate — a friend
  20. band — a music group
  21. club — a group
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mate — a partner
  24. band — a ring

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