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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fall — the season
  3. swing — in golf
  4. fall — to drop
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. drill — a practice
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. drill — army training
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. charge — electricity
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. charge — in control
  13. bore — to drill
  14. fall — to drop
  15. face — part of the head
  16. swing — music
  17. face — to confront
  18. swing — to play on
  19. face — to point toward
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. drill — the tool
  22. charge — a price
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bat — the animal

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