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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. We're almost out of ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bore — to tire
  3. pop — to visit
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. lie — to recline
  6. pop — soda
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. charge — in control
  9. file — a line of people
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. calf — of the leg
  16. pop — music
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. file — a tool
  19. wax — to grow
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. bore — to drill
  24. file — a document

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