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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: bear · leaves · cue · bat · present · sharp · ball · rest

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. present — there
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. rest — what's left
  7. rest — a break
  8. bear — the animal
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bat — the animal
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. rest — what's left
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. sharp — clever
  18. ball — a great time
  19. cue — for pool
  20. cue — a hint
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. present — a gift
  24. 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