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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. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  20. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I'd like to play a game of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. chair — a leader
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bore — to drill
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lie — to recline
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. foot — a measure
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. squash — to crush
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. fine — high quality
  19. fine — all right
  20. foot — the bottom
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. craft — boats
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. squash — the sport

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