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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. bore — to drill
  4. wake — a trail
  5. bore — to tire
  6. stand — to bear
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fine — all right
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. fork — in a road
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. fork — to eat with
  23. fine — high quality
  24. plane — a tool

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