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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 116 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He was locked up in a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  22. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cell — in a prison
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. current — electric
  10. net — in sport
  11. hand — help
  12. net — for catching
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. net — after costs
  15. current — of water
  16. hand — part of the body
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. cell — a phone
  20. lie — to recline
  21. hand — in cards
  22. current — happening now
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. cell — in biology

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