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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. calf — of the leg
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pit — in a race
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. key — for a lock
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. pit — a hole
  10. key — the most important part
  11. wake — a trail
  12. key — in music
  13. land — a country
  14. bore — to tire
  15. land — to come down
  16. stand — to bear
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. land — ground
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. bore — to drill
  24. leaves — lets stay

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