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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. The ball is in your ________________.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. deal — to handle
  4. rash — a series
  5. wind — to turn a key
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. court — of law
  10. wind — moving air
  11. swing — music
  12. rash — hasty
  13. rock — music
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wind — moving air
  17. court — of a king
  18. court — for sport
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. lie — to recline
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rash — on the skin

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