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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. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  12. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. ground — a position
  3. mate — a partner
  4. staff — a stick
  5. bore — to drill
  6. cap — a hat
  7. ground — the earth
  8. staff — employees
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. mate — to breed
  11. squash — the vegetable
  12. staff — employees
  13. squash — the sport
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. cap — a lid
  16. cap — of ice
  17. squash — to crush
  18. chair — a leader
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. mate — a friend
  21. pass — a permit
  22. bore — to tire
  23. ground — crushed
  24. pass — to succeed

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