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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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  13. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. The water is too ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rule — government
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. cold — an illness
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rule — a law
  11. foot — a measure
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. cold — not warm
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. cold — the Cold War
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. lie — to recline
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. pitcher — a jug

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