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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. present — there
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. present — the time now
  5. chair — a leader
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bear — the animal
  9. present — a gift
  10. bore — to tire
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. bear — the animal
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. face — to confront
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bore — to drill
  20. face — to point toward
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. bore — gave birth
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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