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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 120 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. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  23. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a dish
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. snap — to click
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. snap — to speak sharply
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. bore — to tire
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. bore — to drill
  22. snap — to snap out of it
  23. trunk — of a tree
  24. deal — to handle

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