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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 · mate · stick · spring · foot · toast · hand · bark

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  4. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  5. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  15. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. 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 — of a tree
  2. mate — a partner
  3. hand — help
  4. spring — the season
  5. foot — a measure
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. bark — of a tree
  8. mate — to breed
  9. hand — in cards
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. bark — a dog's sound
  15. toast — bread
  16. bark — to shout
  17. spring — of water
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. mate — a friend
  20. hand — part of the body
  21. spring — a coil
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. 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