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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: stand · wound · mouse · dip · cap · bear · leaves · last

  1. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  18. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  19. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. last — final
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wound — an injury
  7. bear — the animal
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. bear — the animal
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. cap — a lid
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. last — to go on
  16. dip — to sink
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. last — finally
  19. cap — a hat
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. stand — to bear
  22. dip — to dunk
  23. cap — of ice
  24. stand — on your feet

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