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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. cap — a hat
  3. cap — a lid
  4. bore — to drill
  5. mate — a partner
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. ground — the earth
  8. bore — to tire
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. kick — in football
  14. deal — to handle
  15. ground — a position
  16. mate — a friend
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — all right
  21. mate — to breed
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. cap — of ice
  24. ground — crushed

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