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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. When was this ________________ built?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. temple — a place of worship
  2. bore — to drill
  3. bore — to tire
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. march — the month
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. track — a path
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. deal — to handle
  14. track — a song
  15. march — the month
  16. march — music
  17. track — to keep track
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. temple — a place of worship
  22. lie — to recline
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. chair — a leader

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