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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: file · toast · mark · ground · wind · leaves

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. There's no middle ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. file — a document
  5. mark — a trace
  6. file — a line of people
  7. wind — moving air
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. mark — a grade
  11. ground — a position
  12. toast — bread
  13. ground — crushed
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. ground — the earth
  16. file — a tool
  17. wind — moving air
  18. toast — a drink to someone

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