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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  3. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  6. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. mate — to breed
  3. cabinet — a cupboard
  4. hand — help
  5. hand — part of the body
  6. bore — to tire
  7. hand — in cards
  8. current — of water
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. mate — a friend
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. bore — to drill
  15. mate — a partner
  16. current — electric
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. rash — hasty
  20. current — happening now
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. rash — a series
  24. racket — for tennis

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