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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.

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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. pit — a hole
  4. cue — for pool
  5. tube — the underground
  6. can — to be able to
  7. cue — a signal
  8. firm — a company
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. hand — help
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. firm — decided
  13. cue — a hint
  14. can — a tin
  15. pit — in a race
  16. tube — a container
  17. hand — in cards
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. row — to paddle
  22. firm — steady
  23. row — a line
  24. can — a tin

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