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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. bore — gave birth
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. last — final
  5. chip — to eat
  6. bass — the fish
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chip — for betting
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chip — in a computer
  12. present — a gift
  13. tear — from crying
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. safe — a strongbox
  16. last — finally
  17. present — there
  18. tear — from crying
  19. bass — low music
  20. chair — a leader
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. bore — to drill
  23. tear — to rip
  24. last — to go on

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