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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. mine — for digging
  3. staff — a stick
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. mine — an explosive
  6. bore — to drill
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. staff — employees
  10. object — an aim
  11. object — to protest
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. bore — to tire
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — a law
  18. chair — a leader
  19. object — a thing
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. staff — employees
  22. suit — in cards
  23. suit — to fit
  24. chair — a professorship

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