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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. bore — to drill
  3. foot — a measure
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. key — for a lock
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. key — the most important part
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. chair — a leader
  14. key — in music
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. kick — in football
  17. tear — from crying
  18. bore — to tire
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. tear — to rip
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. tear — from crying
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. racket — for tennis

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