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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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — to cool the air
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. game — a match
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. game — wild animals
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. object — to protest
  8. bore — to drill
  9. firm — a company
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. firm — steady
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. deal — to handle
  15. firm — decided
  16. object — an aim
  17. calf — of the leg
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. chair — a leader
  23. object — a thing
  24. bore — to tire

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