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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 120 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
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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: bore · chair · fan · net · leaves · arm · file · rash

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. The ball hit the back of the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. net — for catching
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. file — a document
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. rash — hasty
  8. bore — to tire
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. file — a tool
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. file — a line of people
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. net — after costs
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. rash — a series
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. net — in sport

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