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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 · bay · capital · bore · fall · cabinet · suit · present

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. fall — to drop
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. bore — to drill
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. present — the time now
  7. bore — to tire
  8. capital — money
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. cabinet — ministers
  11. suit — in cards
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. present — a gift
  15. capital — a city
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. fall — the season
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. fall — to drop
  21. suit — to fit
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. present — there
  24. bore — gave birth

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