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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. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mouse — for a computer
  2. mate — a friend
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. land — a country
  7. mate — a partner
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. land — to come down
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. chair — a leader
  18. mate — to breed
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. saw — the tool
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. land — ground

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