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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 120 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: spell · leaves · fall · object · temple · game · bat · hide

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. When was this ________________ built?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  15. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. object — an aim
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. object — to protest
  5. spell — a short time
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. fall — the season
  10. spell — letters
  11. bat — the animal
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. fall — to drop
  14. game — a kind of play
  15. temple — side of the head
  16. spell — magic
  17. game — a match
  18. object — a thing
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. game — wild animals
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. fall — to drop

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