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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  17. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The light ________________ burned out.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. deal — to handle
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bore — to drill
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. band — a music group
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. chair — a leader
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. vault — a safe
  13. bulb — for light
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. bore — to tire
  17. vault — an arched ceiling
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. band — a ring
  21. bulb — for light
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. bulb — of a plant

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