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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. I'll be taking the ________________.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. tube — a container
  4. bore — to tire
  5. kick — a thrill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chair — a leader
  8. saw — the tool
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. kick — in football
  11. tube — in a tire
  12. bore — to drill
  13. present — a gift
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bound — obliged
  16. saw — the tool
  17. bound — certain
  18. tube — the underground
  19. bound — tied together
  20. present — there
  21. rule — government
  22. present — the time now
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. rule — to rule out

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