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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. mug — to rob
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. scale — in music
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mug — a cup
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. deal — to handle
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. mark — a grade
  16. mug — a face
  17. present — there
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. present — a gift
  20. scale — size or range
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. present — the time now
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. mark — a trace

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