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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The ball is in your ________________.
  16. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. court — of a king
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. perch — the fish
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. kick — in football
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pound — a weight
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. court — for sport
  16. kick — with a leg
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. court — of law
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. ground — a position
  23. ground — the earth
  24. ground — crushed

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