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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. can — a tin
  3. degree — from a university
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. degree — an amount
  7. shower — rain
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bore — to drill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. bore — to tire
  12. can — to be able to
  13. face — part of the head
  14. degree — temperature
  15. object — a thing
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. can — a tin
  21. face — to confront
  22. face — to point toward
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. shower — to wash

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