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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  4. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The ________________ took off on time.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bore — gave birth
  4. plane — in geometry
  5. bank — for money
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. suit — to fit
  10. kick — in football
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. plane — a tool
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. plane — an aircraft
  15. suit — clothes
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. bank — of a river
  18. suit — in cards
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. bore — to drill
  21. rush — hurry
  22. bank — for money
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. kick — with a leg

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