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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. content — the amount
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chest — a box
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. chair — a leader
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. chest — of your body
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. fine — high quality
  13. content — videos and posts
  14. hand — help
  15. hand — in cards
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. bore — to tire
  18. content — happy
  19. lean — to bend
  20. foot — a measure
  21. lean — thin
  22. fine — all right
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. chair — to sit on

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