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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. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — in control
  2. wind — moving air
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bore — to tire
  10. charge — electricity
  11. firm — steady
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wind — to turn a key
  14. firm — a company
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bore — to drill
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. wind — moving air
  22. charge — a price
  23. spring — a coil
  24. firm — decided

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