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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. bore — to tire
  4. rock — a stone
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bore — to drill
  7. perch — for a bird
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. rock — music
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. pop — music
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. charge — in control
  14. rule — a law
  15. rule — government
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — the fish
  18. charge — a price
  19. charge — electricity
  20. pop — soda
  21. prune — to trim
  22. prune — to trim
  23. prune — the fruit
  24. rock — to move gently

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