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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  19. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. craft — a skill
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. board — to get on
  5. bat — in an idiom
  6. bore — to drill
  7. firm — a company
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. chair — a leader
  11. board — a committee
  12. craft — boats
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bore — to tire
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. firm — decided
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. bat — the animal
  19. bat — for baseball
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. firm — steady
  24. patient — calm and waiting

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