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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: game · bore · track · chair · straw · lean · temple · suit

  1. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  2. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  12. When was this ________________ built?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  17. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. bore — gave birth
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. chair — a leader
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. suit — to fit
  6. game — a match
  7. track — to keep track
  8. track — a song
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. temple — side of the head
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. lean — thin
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. bore — to drill
  16. game — wild animals
  17. bore — to tire
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. lean — to bend
  22. suit — clothes
  23. suit — in cards
  24. track — a path

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