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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  16. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  21. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. vault — a safe
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bear — the animal
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. shower — rain
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. bore — to drill
  10. vault — an arched ceiling
  11. bore — to tire
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. chair — a leader
  15. capital — a big letter
  16. shower — a meteor shower
  17. capital — money
  18. board — to get on
  19. bear — the animal
  20. shower — to wash
  21. board — a flat piece
  22. board — a committee
  23. vault — in gymnastics
  24. capital — a city

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