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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: roll · leaves · wave · lie · chest · bore · racket · net

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. We're on a ________________ here.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. bore — to drill
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. roll — on a roll
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. net — after costs
  11. chest — of your body
  12. net — for catching
  13. lie — to recline
  14. roll — a list
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. chest — a box
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. net — in sport
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. chest — of your body
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. roll — a cake

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