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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. kid — child
  6. bore — to tire
  7. bore — to drill
  8. plane — a tool
  9. can — a tin
  10. can — a tin
  11. squash — to crush
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. pass — a permit
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. kid — to tease
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. squash — the sport
  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