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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: leaves · club · ball · rush · fork · charge · lean · bore

  1. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. The King held a masked ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. lean — to bend
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. bore — to drill
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. charge — a price
  9. ball — a great time
  10. bore — to tire
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. lean — thin
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rush — hurry
  19. charge — electricity
  20. club — a group
  21. charge — in control
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. ball — a dance
  24. leaves — of a tree

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