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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. charge — in control
  8. season — in sport
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. fork — in a road
  14. bore — to drill
  15. row — to paddle
  16. row — a line
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bore — to tire
  20. charge — electricity
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. charge — a price

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