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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. My father caught me by the ________________.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. mark — a grade
  3. snap — to click
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. object — an aim
  6. object — a thing
  7. cap — a lid
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. mark — a trace
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. cap — a hat
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bore — to drill
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. date — the fruit
  17. cap — of ice
  18. arm — part of the body
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. object — to protest
  24. leaves — of a tree

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