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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. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. The ________________ took off on time.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to drill
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. bat — the animal
  6. bat — for baseball
  7. rash — hasty
  8. object — to protest
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. plane — a tool
  13. rash — a series
  14. object — a thing
  15. mark — a trace
  16. plane — an aircraft
  17. mark — a grade
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. object — an aim
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. board — to get on
  23. bore — to tire
  24. board — a committee

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