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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 116 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: suit · cell · mate · bear · leaves · object · game · bore

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. That was a fun ________________.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. game — wild animals
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. object — to protest
  7. bore — to tire
  8. object — a thing
  9. mate — a partner
  10. game — a match
  11. bore — to drill
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. suit — in cards
  14. bear — the animal
  15. object — an aim
  16. cell — a phone
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mate — a friend
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. mate — to breed
  23. bear — the animal
  24. cell — in biology

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