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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
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: leaves · bear · suit · rock · chest · mouse

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. suit — in cards
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. chest — of your body
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. chest — a box
  13. suit — clothes
  14. chest — of your body
  15. suit — to fit
  16. rock — a stone
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bear — the animal

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