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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.

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: bank · leaves · chair · bore · swing · ground · stick · pop

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  8. We're almost out of ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. bank — for money
  7. bank — for money
  8. pop — soda
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bore — to drill
  11. chair — a leader
  12. ground — a position
  13. ground — crushed
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. swing — in golf
  16. pop — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. ground — the earth
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. bore — to tire
  21. bank — of a river
  22. swing — music
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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