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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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. False peace will not ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. bass — low music
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. wind — moving air
  12. wind — moving air
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. last — to go on
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. kick — in football
  17. last — finally
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. band — a music group
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. band — a ring
  22. bass — the fish
  23. wind — to turn a key
  24. last — final

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