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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. We're on a ________________ here.
  10. He was locked up in a ________________.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. last — final
  3. roll — a list
  4. bound — tied together
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. last — finally
  7. suit — to fit
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. roll — on a roll
  10. cell — in a prison
  11. last — to go on
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. suit — in cards
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. cell — in biology
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bound — obliged
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. sharp — clever
  22. bound — certain
  23. roll — a cake
  24. cell — a phone

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