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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 · wound · deal · toast · jam · shower · hide · object

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. deal — to handle
  4. shower — to wash
  5. toast — bread
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. wound — an injury
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. wound — past of 'wind'
  17. shower — rain
  18. wound — an injury
  19. object — to protest
  20. object — an aim
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. object — a thing
  23. hide — animal skin
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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