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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.

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: bear · march · leaves · mate · rock · season · snap · staff

  1. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. mate — to breed
  3. season — in sport
  4. mate — a friend
  5. march — the month
  6. bear — the animal
  7. staff — a stick
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. bear — the animal
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. rock — a stone
  13. mate — a partner
  14. march — the month
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. season — of the year
  18. march — music
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. snap — to click
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. leaves — lets stay

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