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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. ground — the earth
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. perch — the fish
  7. object — a thing
  8. ground — crushed
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bore — to drill
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. firm — decided
  14. sharp — clever
  15. bore — to tire
  16. ground — a position
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. spring — of water
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. spring — a coil
  21. object — to protest
  22. firm — a company
  23. spring — the season
  24. firm — steady

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