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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. bore — to tire
  3. snap — to click
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fall — to drop
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. bore — to drill
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. mug — a face
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — the sport
  19. fall — the season
  20. mug — a cup
  21. mug — to rob
  22. squash — to crush
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. fall — to drop

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