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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. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  2. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  13. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. It's one o'clock ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to bend
  2. vault — a safe
  3. chair — a leader
  4. tear — from crying
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. sharp — clever
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. tear — from crying
  13. tear — to rip
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. lean — thin
  17. bore — to drill
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. bore — to tire
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. sharp — exactly
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. lean — to rest against

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