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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 120 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 seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. lie — to recline
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. bore — to tire
  8. object — to protest
  9. net — after costs
  10. chair — a leader
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. object — an aim
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. deal — to handle
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. bore — to drill
  24. object — a thing

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