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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  10. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bat — the animal
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. bore — to drill
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. stock — goods
  10. bat — in an idiom
  11. rush — hurry
  12. chair — a leader
  13. bowl — a football final
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. face — to point toward
  16. suit — clothes
  17. face — to confront
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. rush — to hurry
  20. bore — to tire
  21. stock — shares
  22. face — part of the head
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. bowl — a dish

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