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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. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. pound — to hit hard
  2. mark — a grade
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. pound — for dogs
  5. snap — to click
  6. bore — to drill
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. charge — electricity
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. charge — a price
  15. pound — a weight
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. bore — to tire
  18. charge — in control
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. mark — a trace
  21. snap — to snap out of it
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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