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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. Have you found your soul ________________?
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. When was this ________________ built?
  24. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. object — a thing
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. object — to protest
  5. bore — to tire
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — in cards
  8. rest — what's left
  9. suit — clothes
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. net — for catching
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. mate — a friend
  14. object — an aim
  15. rest — what's left
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. net — after costs
  19. mate — a partner
  20. bore — to drill
  21. net — in sport
  22. rest — a break
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. mate — to breed

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