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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lie · object · jam · date · rule · wake · chair · bore

  1. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. lie — to recline
  3. bore — to tire
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bore — to drill
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. object — an aim
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. date — the fruit
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wake — a trail
  14. rule — government
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. object — to protest
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. chair — a leader
  19. rule — a law
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. object — a thing
  24. jam — a tight spot

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