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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 120 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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. present — there
  3. rock — a stone
  4. band — a music group
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. pitch — completely
  7. bore — to drill
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. present — the time now
  10. present — a gift
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. band — a rubber band
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. bark — of a tree
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. pitch — a sports field
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. squash — the sport
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. bark — to shout
  23. squash — to crush
  24. band — a ring

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