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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. wind — moving air
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. stand — to bear
  5. bat — the animal
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. key — the most important part
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. stand — for spectators
  10. can — a tin
  11. wind — moving air
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. bore — to tire
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bat — for baseball
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. safe — a strongbox
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bore — to drill
  20. can — to be able to
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. chair — a leader
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. can — a tin

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