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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  5. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. We ________________ up on opposing sides.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. wound — an injury
  4. wound — an injury
  5. degree — from a university
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. wave — with your hand
  9. can — a tin
  10. degree — temperature
  11. pop — to visit
  12. craft — a skill
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. can — to be able to
  15. pop — music
  16. degree — an amount
  17. craft — boats
  18. can — a tin
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. pop — soda
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wound — past of 'wind'

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