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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 party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. bore — to tire
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. cue — for pool
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. foot — a measure
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. cue — a hint
  14. season — of the year
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. season — in sport
  18. cell — a phone
  19. rash — hasty
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. bore — to drill
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. cue — a signal
  24. cell — in biology

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