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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. staff — employees
  5. squash — the sport
  6. spell — letters
  7. staff — employees
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — a short time
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. staff — a stick
  12. rock — music
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. squash — to crush
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. bore — to tire
  20. face — to point toward
  21. bore — to drill
  22. face — to confront
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. face — part of the head

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