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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. root — the cause
  5. rash — a series
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. chair — a leader
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. bore — to drill
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. pass — a permit
  20. root — of a plant
  21. rash — hasty
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. root — of a word
  24. chair — a professorship

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