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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. When are we going to ________________?
  18. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. What do you think of the new ________________?
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — army training
  2. bore — to tire
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. kick — in football
  7. bore — to drill
  8. craft — a skill
  9. present — a gift
  10. drill — the tool
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. drill — a practice
  14. craft — boats
  15. present — the time now
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. land — to come down
  18. present — there
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. land — ground
  23. land — a country
  24. leaves — to go away

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