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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. land — a country
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lie — to recline
  5. object — to protest
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. object — an aim
  9. object — a thing
  10. land — ground
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bore — to drill
  13. land — to come down
  14. chair — a leader
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stand — to bear

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