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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. The ________________ took off on time.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. roll — a list
  3. spring — a coil
  4. object — a thing
  5. bore — to drill
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. row — to paddle
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bore — to tire
  10. plane — a tool
  11. spring — of water
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. roll — a cake
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. object — to protest
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. spring — the season
  18. plane — an aircraft
  19. object — an aim
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. row — a line
  24. leaves — of a tree

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