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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  22. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. scale — size or range
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. key — for a lock
  12. key — the most important part
  13. foot — a measure
  14. stock — shares
  15. key — in music
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. chair — a leader
  20. scale — in music
  21. bore — to drill
  22. stock — goods
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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