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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 reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. bound — tied together
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bound — certain
  5. face — to confront
  6. kid — to tease
  7. bore — to tire
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. ground — crushed
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. ground — a position
  16. kid — child
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. face — part of the head
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bound — obliged
  22. bore — to drill
  23. face — to point toward
  24. ground — the earth

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