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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  10. That was ________________ to happen.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. bore — to tire
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. row — to paddle
  7. object — an aim
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. row — a line
  10. bound — certain
  11. bound — tied together
  12. bound — obliged
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. object — a thing
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. bore — to drill
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. toast — bread
  23. object — to protest
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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