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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  16. She's very handy with a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. saw — the tool
  3. mug — a cup
  4. mark — a trace
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. ground — a position
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. ground — crushed
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. lie — to recline
  15. patient — calm and waiting
  16. saw — the tool
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mark — a grade
  19. mug — to rob
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. mug — a face
  24. ground — the earth

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