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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  8. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. We're on a ________________ here.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  14. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  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 — of a tree
  2. scale — size or range
  3. last — finally
  4. roll — a list
  5. spring — the season
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. scale — for weighing
  8. spring — of water
  9. firm — a company
  10. mate — to breed
  11. roll — on a roll
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. patient — a sick person
  15. last — final
  16. roll — a cake
  17. mate — a friend
  18. scale — in music
  19. last — to go on
  20. firm — steady
  21. mate — a partner
  22. spring — a coil
  23. firm — decided
  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