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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. scale — in music
  3. kick — in football
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. rest — what's left
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. scale — size or range
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rest — a break
  15. bore — to tire
  16. jam — a tight spot
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rest — what's left
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. lean — thin
  21. bear — the animal
  22. lean — to bend
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. bear — 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