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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 116 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. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. net — for catching
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. net — in sport
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. pit — in a race
  7. wake — a trail
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. staff — a stick
  11. staff — employees
  12. staff — employees
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pit — a hole
  15. bore — to tire
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. net — after costs
  21. fine — high quality
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bore — to drill
  24. ruler — for measuring

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