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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 120 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: bore · leaves · chair · rash · present · court · fine · wound

  1. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. present — the time now
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. wound — past of 'wind'
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. fine — high quality
  8. court — of law
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. present — there
  11. rash — a series
  12. wound — an injury
  13. court — for sport
  14. fine — all right
  15. present — a gift
  16. wound — an injury
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bore — to tire
  21. rash — hasty
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. court — of a king
  24. rash — on the skin

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