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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to tire
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rest — what's left
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. ground — crushed
  9. hand — help
  10. rest — a break
  11. squash — the sport
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. squash — the vegetable
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. ground — a position
  16. bore — to drill
  17. hand — in cards
  18. staff — employees
  19. ground — the earth
  20. squash — to crush
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stand — to bear
  24. staff — employees

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