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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wind — moving air
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. wind — moving air
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. chest — a box
  18. rash — hasty
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. rash — a series
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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