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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  2. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — to attach or keep to
  2. sharp — with an edge
  3. bore — to tire
  4. shower — to wash
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — rain
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. ball — a great time
  14. spell — magic
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. ball — a dance
  17. sharp — clever
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. spell — letters
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. spell — a short time
  23. bore — to drill
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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