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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. root — the cause
  5. bore — to tire
  6. lie — to recline
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. bat — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. root — of a plant
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. root — of a word
  18. bore — to drill
  19. wound — past of 'wind'
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. wound — an injury
  23. mark — a trace
  24. chair — a leader

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