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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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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: season · ball · rest · fall · rock · bore · present · racket

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. ball — a dance
  3. fall — to drop
  4. rest — what's left
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fall — the season
  8. present — the time now
  9. rest — what's left
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. season — in sport
  12. bore — to drill
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. racket — a loud noise
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. season — of the year
  18. ball — a great time
  19. rest — a break
  20. fall — to drop
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. present — a gift

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