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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. kid — child
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bore — to tire
  5. foot — the bottom
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  8. mark — a grade
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. board — to get on
  13. kid — to tease
  14. chair — a leader
  15. board — a flat piece
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. foot — a measure
  18. rock — a stone
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. deal — to handle
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. mark — a trace
  23. board — a committee
  24. mark — to pay attention

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