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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. You don't need to ________________ round.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. Have you met the new head ________________?
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. pop — to visit
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. vault — a safe
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. can — to be able to
  13. can — a tin
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pop — music
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. rash — a series
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. chair — a leader
  22. pop — soda
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. rash — hasty

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