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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
468
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: rush · cabinet · pitcher · chair · game · lean · bore · mouse

  1. That was a fun ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. What do you think of the new ________________?
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. game — a match
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. game — wild animals
  4. lean — to bend
  5. bore — gave birth
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. bore — to tire
  11. rush — hurry
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. bore — to drill
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. game — a kind of play
  19. lean — thin
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. chair — a leader
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. pitcher — a jug

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