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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. suit — in cards
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. current — electric
  9. track — to keep track
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. track — a path
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. fine — all right
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. suit — clothes
  16. track — a song
  17. current — of water
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. toast — bread
  24. current — happening now

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