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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. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. drill — army training
  3. scale — size or range
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. scale — in music
  6. suit — clothes
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. suit — in cards
  9. chair — a leader
  10. staff — employees
  11. drill — the tool
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. drill — a practice
  14. branch — of a bank
  15. stand — to bear
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. staff — employees
  18. bore — to tire
  19. staff — a stick
  20. branch — a division
  21. suit — to fit
  22. bore — to drill
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. chair — a professorship

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