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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. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  24. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bore — to tire
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. board — to get on
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. cue — a signal
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. rash — hasty
  12. cue — a hint
  13. board — a committee
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. chair — a leader
  16. deal — to handle
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. rule — to rule out
  20. cue — for pool
  21. rash — a series
  22. rule — a law
  23. rule — government
  24. bore — to drill

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