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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bore — to drill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chip — for betting
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. mark — a grade
  9. firm — decided
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. chip — to eat
  12. branch — of a bank
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. mark — a trace
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — steady
  18. bore — to tire
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. bear — the animal
  23. wound — an injury
  24. branch — a division

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