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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: date · leaves · capital · bay · sharp · tear · cabinet · bore

  1. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. What do you think of the new ________________?
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bore — to drill
  3. tear — from crying
  4. bore — to tire
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. tear — to rip
  8. date — the fruit
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. capital — a big letter
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. sharp — clever
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. capital — money
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. capital — a city
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. tear — from crying

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