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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. swing — in golf
  3. march — the month
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. march — the month
  6. swing — music
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. march — music
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. swing — to play on
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. shower — rain
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. bore — to drill
  22. kick — in football
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. shower — to wash

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