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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 116 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: firm · leaves · fall · object · swing · hide · content · mark

  1. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. fall — the season
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. swing — music
  6. fall — to drop
  7. firm — steady
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. firm — a company
  10. mark — a trace
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. swing — to play on
  14. object — a thing
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. content — happy
  17. firm — decided
  18. mark — a grade
  19. fall — to drop
  20. object — an aim
  21. content — the amount
  22. object — to protest
  23. swing — in golf
  24. leaves — to go away

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