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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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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 sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  2. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  15. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — to turn a key
  2. mine — belonging to me
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rock — a stone
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. mate — a partner
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. mine — for digging
  12. patient — a sick person
  13. wind — moving air
  14. rock — to move gently
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. wind — moving air
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. mate — a friend
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. rock — music
  23. band — a music group
  24. mate — to breed

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