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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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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: bore · chair · shower · stand · object · firm · spell · mark

  1. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  2. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — to tire
  2. bore — to drill
  3. firm — decided
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stand — to bear
  6. object — an aim
  7. firm — a company
  8. object — a thing
  9. chair — a leader
  10. shower — to wash
  11. spell — letters
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. object — to protest
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. mark — a grade
  20. shower — rain
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. spell — a short time
  23. spell — magic
  24. firm — steady

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