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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  19. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bound — tied together
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. vault — in gymnastics
  11. staff — employees
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. wind — moving air
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bound — obliged
  18. wind — moving air
  19. vault — a safe
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. wake — a trail
  22. bound — certain
  23. staff — employees
  24. bore — to tire

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