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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. net — in sport
  4. chip — to eat
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. chair — a leader
  7. net — for catching
  8. squash — to crush
  9. staff — employees
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. chip — for betting
  13. staff — employees
  14. net — after costs
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. staff — a stick
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bore — to tire

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