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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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He works in a ________________ mill.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. pitch — a sales talk
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bore — to drill
  5. current — electric
  6. saw — the tool
  7. chair — a leader
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. pitch — completely
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a great time
  18. current — happening now
  19. suit — in cards
  20. saw — the tool
  21. suit — to fit
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. current — of water
  24. bore — to tire

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