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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.

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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. My father caught me by the ________________.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. That must've been a ________________.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bore — to tire
  5. rush — hurry
  6. club — for golf
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. net — after costs
  10. net — in sport
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. net — for catching
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. arm — part of the body
  18. bore — to drill
  19. rush — a thrill
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. club — a group
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. club — for dancing
  24. calf — a young animal

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