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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 116 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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  17. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. The tickets are free of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. cap — a lid
  3. suit — in cards
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bore — to tire
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. bore — to drill
  10. spring — the season
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. spring — of water
  15. cap — a hat
  16. spring — a coil
  17. charge — electricity
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. suit — to fit
  21. stand — to bear
  22. suit — clothes
  23. cap — of ice
  24. charge — a price

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