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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. rock — music
  2. squash — to crush
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. suit — clothes
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. squash — the vegetable
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. squash — the sport
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rock — a stone
  14. suit — in cards
  15. chair — a leader
  16. stand — to bear
  17. branch — a division
  18. suit — to fit

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