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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.

Make a worksheet

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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. saw — the tool
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. can — to be able to
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. spring — a coil
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. can — a tin
  11. bass — the fish
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bass — low music
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. spring — the season
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — in gymnastics
  21. can — a tin
  22. spring — of water
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bore — to drill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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