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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. bore — to drill
  4. object — a thing
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. court — of a king
  7. fall — to drop
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. court — for sport
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. sharp — clever
  12. fall — the season
  13. object — to protest
  14. fall — to drop
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. object — an aim
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. lie — to recline
  20. mate — a partner
  21. mate — to breed
  22. mate — a friend
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. court — of law

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