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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. pass — a permit
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. bore — to tire
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. rule — a law
  8. bore — to drill
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. charge — electricity
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. rule — government
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. charge — a price
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. charge — in control
  22. wake — a trail
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. wake — before a funeral

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