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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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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. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — in traffic
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. march — the month
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. saw — the tool
  7. march — music
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. foot — part of the body
  12. march — the month
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. lie — to recline
  18. foot — a measure
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. chair — a leader
  21. hide — animal skin
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. bore — to tire
  24. bore — to drill

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