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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. bore — to drill
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. present — a gift
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. sharp — clever
  8. club — for dancing
  9. club — for golf
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bore — to tire
  12. spell — letters
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. present — the time now
  17. present — there
  18. face — part of the head
  19. rush — hurry
  20. spell — magic
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. club — a group
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. spell — a short time

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