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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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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: wave · pass · net · bear · chest · leaves · bore · fork

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. bear — the animal
  3. bore — to drill
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. net — in sport
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. pass — a permit
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. bore — to tire
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. net — after costs
  13. chest — of your body
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — in a road
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. chest — a box
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. net — for catching
  23. chest — of your body
  24. wave — of the sea

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