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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. fall — the season
  9. pit — a hole
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. fall — to drop
  15. fall — to drop
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — a supporter
  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