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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. rest — what's left
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. object — a thing
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. object — an aim
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rest — what's left
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rest — a break
  11. suit — to fit
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. bore — to drill
  15. root — of a plant
  16. scale — in music
  17. root — the cause
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. root — of a word
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. object — to protest
  23. bore — to tire
  24. suit — clothes

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