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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: content · fall · rash · saw · bore · fan · staff · fine

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  7. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  8. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. fall — to drop
  3. content — the amount
  4. bore — to drill
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. fall — the season
  7. fall — to drop
  8. rash — a series
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. staff — employees
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. saw — the tool
  16. fine — high quality
  17. content — happy
  18. saw — the tool
  19. staff — employees
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bore — to tire
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. fine — all right
  24. staff — a stick

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