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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?
  19. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. wound — past of 'wind'
  4. mug — a face
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. mug — a cup
  14. snap — to click
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. land — a country
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. mug — to rob
  19. wound — an injury
  20. deal — to handle
  21. land — ground
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wound — an injury

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