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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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Word bank
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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. When was this ________________ built?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. suit — clothes
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. band — a ring
  9. craft — a skill
  10. season — in sport
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. suit — in cards
  15. bore — to tire
  16. hand — in cards
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. season — of the year
  20. suit — to fit
  21. hand — help
  22. craft — boats
  23. band — a music group
  24. craft — a handicraft

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