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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.

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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: bore · pitcher · leaves · ground · wake · arm · sharp · suit

  1. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  2. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — part of the body
  2. wake — a trail
  3. bore — to tire
  4. suit — in cards
  5. suit — to fit
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. ground — the earth
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. arm — a part of something
  13. ground — crushed
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bore — to drill
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. sharp — clever
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. ground — a position
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. sharp — exactly

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