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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The ________________ market has crashed.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bore — to tire
  3. swing — music
  4. swing — to play on
  5. mug — a face
  6. pop — soda
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. pop — to visit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. stock — goods
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. mug — a cup
  14. mate — to breed
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. stock — shares
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bore — to drill
  20. pop — music
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mug — to rob
  23. swing — in golf
  24. bore — gave birth

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