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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. spring — the season
  3. season — in sport
  4. fall — to drop
  5. wave — with your hand
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. fall — the season
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. spring — of water
  14. can — a tin
  15. kick — in football
  16. can — to be able to
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. fall — to drop
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. spring — a coil
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. can — a tin
  24. season — of the year

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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