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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. rest — what's left
  3. object — a thing
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bore — to drill
  7. current — happening now
  8. rush — to hurry
  9. rest — what's left
  10. object — to protest
  11. cap — a lid
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. current — of water
  14. rest — a break
  15. bore — gave birth
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. current — electric
  20. rush — hurry
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. bore — to tire

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