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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 120 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. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. David sat on the ________________.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. swing — music
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. swing — to play on
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. object — to protest
  9. bore — to drill
  10. object — a thing
  11. object — an aim
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. saw — the tool
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. plane — in geometry
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. saw — the tool
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. plane — a tool
  23. swing — in golf
  24. fan — a supporter

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