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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · press · scale · bear · tear · straw · fine · bore

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. tear — from crying
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. bear — the animal
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. fine — all right
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. scale — in music
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. tear — from crying
  14. tear — to rip
  15. scale — size or range
  16. press — newspapers
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. press — a publisher
  19. bore — to drill
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. fine — high quality
  22. bore — to tire
  23. press — to push
  24. bear — the animal

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