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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 124 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. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a path
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. firm — a company
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. content — videos and posts
  6. firm — decided
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. track — a song
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. present — the time now
  11. bore — to tire
  12. present — a gift
  13. bore — to drill
  14. rest — what's left
  15. present — there
  16. firm — steady
  17. track — to keep track
  18. content — the amount
  19. rest — a break
  20. content — happy
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — for a computer
  24. rest — what's left

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