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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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. file — a document
  4. stem — of a plant
  5. mug — a face
  6. file — a line of people
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stem — to come from
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. bulb — for light
  13. spring — the season
  14. spring — a coil
  15. spring — of water
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bank — for money
  18. file — a tool
  19. mug — a cup
  20. mug — to rob
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. leaves — lets stay

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