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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. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  2. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — size or range
  2. kick — a thrill
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. mug — to rob
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. kick — in football
  7. can — a tin
  8. rest — what's left
  9. mug — a cup
  10. bore — to drill
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. scale — for weighing
  14. mug — a face
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. can — to be able to
  17. wound — an injury
  18. wound — an injury
  19. rest — a break
  20. can — a tin
  21. bore — to tire
  22. scale — in music
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. rest — what's left

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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