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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. ball — a dance
  3. bore — to tire
  4. ball — a great time
  5. row — a line
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. chair — a leader
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bore — to drill
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. row — to paddle
  13. row — a quarrel
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. firm — a company
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. firm — decided
  19. mug — a face
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. mug — to rob
  22. mug — a cup
  23. firm — steady
  24. fan — to cool the air

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