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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: hide · leaves · bore · staff · content · ground · bank · present

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. ground — the earth
  3. staff — a stick
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bank — of a river
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. present — a gift
  11. bank — for money
  12. present — there
  13. staff — employees
  14. ground — crushed
  15. content — happy
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. bore — to drill
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. ground — a position
  20. staff — employees
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. present — the time now
  24. bank — for money

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