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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. When was this ________________ built?
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bore — to drill
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. kick — in football
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. temple — a place of worship
  9. bore — to tire
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. chip — to eat
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. board — to get on
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. perch — the fish
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. chip — for betting
  20. board — a committee
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. can — a tin
  23. can — to be able to
  24. chair — to sit on

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