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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. rest — what's left
  4. present — there
  5. deal — to handle
  6. season — in sport
  7. lean — to bend
  8. rest — a break
  9. present — a gift
  10. fall — the season
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. fall — to drop
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. rest — what's left
  16. lean — thin
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. temple — a place of worship
  19. present — the time now
  20. season — of the year
  21. fall — to drop
  22. bore — to drill
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bore — to tire

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