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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.

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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. Where did you ________________ them?
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  21. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bore — to drill
  3. spring — of water
  4. rest — a break
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. board — to get on
  9. bank — for money
  10. squash — to crush
  11. board — a committee
  12. mug — a face
  13. mug — a cup
  14. bank — of a river
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. mug — to rob
  17. bank — for money
  18. bore — gave birth
  19. bore — to tire
  20. spring — the season
  21. spring — a coil
  22. squash — the sport
  23. chair — a leader
  24. squash — the vegetable

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