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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: present · wind · racket · leaves · mug · object · shower · pit

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. shower — rain
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. present — there
  6. mug — a face
  7. object — an aim
  8. pit — a hole
  9. wind — moving air
  10. present — the time now
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. pit — in a race
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. mug — to rob
  15. wind — moving air
  16. present — a gift
  17. object — a thing
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. mug — a cup
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. object — to protest
  24. shower — to wash

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