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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. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  2. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  5. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  20. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. date — on the calendar
  2. charge — in control
  3. staff — a stick
  4. bore — to drill
  5. bore — to tire
  6. staff — employees
  7. file — a tool
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. mark — a trace
  11. bore — gave birth
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. file — a document
  17. staff — employees
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. file — a line of people
  20. date — the fruit
  21. chair — a leader
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  24. chair — to sit on

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