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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. Don't do anything ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  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. chair — a leader
  2. mug — to rob
  3. press — newspapers
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. mine — belonging to me
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. can — a tin
  8. kid — child
  9. press — to push
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. can — a tin
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. mug — a cup
  14. rash — hasty
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. kid — to tease
  17. can — to be able to
  18. rash — a series
  19. bore — to drill
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. mine — for digging
  22. mug — a face
  23. press — a publisher
  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