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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The water is too ________________.
  12. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  13. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. When was this ________________ built?
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. saw — the tool
  3. net — for catching
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. bore — to tire
  8. bore — to drill
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. cold — not warm
  12. temple — side of the head
  13. cold — the Cold War
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. cold — an illness
  18. saw — the tool
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. toast — bread
  21. net — after costs
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. net — in sport
  24. safe — a strongbox

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