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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 play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. perch — the fish
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. race — humankind
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. mate — a friend
  10. rule — government
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — a law
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. race — the arms race
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. bass — low music
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. race — a contest
  23. foot — a measure
  24. bass — the fish

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