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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. row — a line
  3. bore — to tire
  4. staff — employees
  5. bound — obliged
  6. bound — certain
  7. staff — employees
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pop — to visit
  12. pop — music
  13. bore — to drill
  14. bound — tied together
  15. pop — soda
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. dip — to sink
  20. calf — of the leg
  21. row — to paddle
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. dip — to dunk

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