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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 116 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  24. He was blown up by a land ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. mine — for digging
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. current — happening now
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. root — the cause
  7. root — of a plant
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. bore — to drill
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bore — to tire
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. root — of a word
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. sharp — clever
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. current — of water
  20. current — electric
  21. squash — the sport
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bore — gave birth
  24. mine — an explosive

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