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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 116 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: leaves · suit · mate · ball · bore · craft · court · rush

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. craft — boats
  3. suit — to fit
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. mate — a friend
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. ball — a great time
  10. rush — hurry
  11. mate — a partner
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. mate — to breed
  14. suit — clothes
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. ball — a dance
  21. craft — a skill
  22. court — of a king
  23. bore — to tire
  24. leaves — to go away

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