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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 120 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. cue — a signal
  4. mate — a friend
  5. rock — music
  6. prune — to trim
  7. mate — a partner
  8. cue — for pool
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. face — to confront
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. deal — to handle
  15. face — to point toward
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. face — part of the head
  19. prune — to trim
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. cue — a hint
  22. mate — to breed
  23. rock — a stone
  24. mouse — the animal

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