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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. staff — employees
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. charge — in control
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. staff — a stick
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. staff — employees
  13. root — of a plant
  14. charge — a price
  15. saw — the tool
  16. root — the cause
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. charge — electricity
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. root — of a word
  23. bore — to drill
  24. saw — the tool

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