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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 116 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bass — the fish
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bass — low music
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. march — the month
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. march — the month
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. march — music
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. fine — all right
  17. bore — to drill
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. fine — high quality
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. leaves — to go away

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