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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  8. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  14. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lie — to recline
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. bore — to drill
  5. chest — of your body
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. rule — a law
  8. perch — for a bird
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bore — to tire
  12. rule — government
  13. chest — a box
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. chest — of your body
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. perch — the fish

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