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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  18. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. game — wild animals
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. face — to point toward
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. face — part of the head
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bat — the animal
  13. stem — to come from
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. suit — clothes
  16. game — a match
  17. wake — a trail
  18. bat — for baseball
  19. face — to confront
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. suit — in cards
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. suit — to fit
  24. leaves — of a tree

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