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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — to fit
  2. chest — a box
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. land — a country
  5. bore — to drill
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. land — to come down
  8. bore — gave birth
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. chest — of your body
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. bore — to tire
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. land — ground
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. wake — a trail
  20. chair — a leader
  21. suit — in cards
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. chest — of your body
  24. suit — clothes

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