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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  17. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  18. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  24. When was this ________________ built?

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chip — for betting
  7. capital — money
  8. bore — to tire
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. perch — the fish
  11. bore — to drill
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. capital — a city
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. temple — a place of worship
  17. bore — gave birth
  18. perch — for a bird
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. chair — a leader
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. capital — a big letter
  24. temple — a place of worship

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