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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. object — to protest
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. object — a thing
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. toast — bread
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  11. kid — child
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. object — an aim
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. bore — to tire
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. kid — to tease
  20. stand — to bear
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. bore — to drill

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