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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  5. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  21. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bore — to drill
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bark — a dog's sound
  5. prune — the fruit
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bore — to tire
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cap — of ice
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. cap — a hat
  16. bark — to shout
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. prune — to trim
  20. cap — a lid
  21. bark — of a tree
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. bore — gave birth

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