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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. There's no middle ________________.
  11. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. David sat on the ________________.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. swing — in golf
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bore — to tire
  6. bore — to drill
  7. current — of water
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mark — a trace
  10. ground — a position
  11. current — electric
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bat — for baseball
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — to play on
  17. ground — crushed
  18. current — happening now
  19. ground — the earth
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chair — a leader
  23. mark — a grade
  24. bore — gave birth

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