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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
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 · fall · bear · firm · board · squash · trunk · mate

  1. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. mate — to breed
  2. fall — to drop
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. squash — to crush
  5. board — to get on
  6. firm — steady
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. fall — to drop
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. bear — the animal
  11. board — a committee
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. mate — a friend
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. bear — the animal
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. firm — decided
  18. firm — a company
  19. squash — the sport
  20. fall — the season
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. mate — a partner

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