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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bore — to drill
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. wake — a trail
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. deal — to handle
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. cap — a hat
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. cap — of ice
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. cap — a lid
  24. rush — hurry

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