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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. charge — in control
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. bound — certain
  7. chair — a leader
  8. charge — electricity
  9. pound — to hit hard
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. bound — tied together
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. spring — the season
  14. pit — a hole
  15. pound — a weight
  16. pit — in a race
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bound — obliged
  20. spring — of water
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. charge — a price
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. spring — a coil

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