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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 116 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. ground — crushed
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. band — a ring
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. bore — to tire
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. lean — thin
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. scale — in music
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. scale — size or range
  19. band — a music group
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bore — to drill
  22. ground — the earth
  23. ground — a position
  24. cabinet — ministers

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