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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. firm — steady
  4. date — the fruit
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. chest — a box
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bound — certain
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. bound — tied together
  13. can — a tin
  14. chest — of your body
  15. bound — obliged
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. firm — a company
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. chest — of your body
  21. firm — decided
  22. can — to be able to
  23. leaves — of a tree
  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