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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  2. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. row — to paddle
  2. coach — pulled by horses
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. band — a ring
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. bore — to tire
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. row — a line
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. stand — to bear
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. band — a music group
  18. chair — a leader
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bore — to drill
  24. stand — on your feet

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