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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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468
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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. kick — in football
  3. rest — what's left
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. clip — to cut
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. rash — hasty
  11. drill — army training
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. suit — to fit
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — clothes
  16. clip — a video
  17. drill — a practice
  18. rest — a break
  19. bore — to tire
  20. suit — in cards
  21. kick — a thrill
  22. clip — for paper
  23. drill — the tool
  24. rash — a series

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