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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.

Make a worksheet

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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: leaves · mark · rest · suit · bore · rush

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mark — a grade
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. rest — a break
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. rush — hurry
  10. rest — what's left
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. rest — what's left
  15. suit — to fit
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bore — to drill

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