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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. dip — to sink
  4. wax — to grow
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. dip — to dunk
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. swing — music
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — to play on
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. march — music
  13. present — a gift
  14. present — the time now
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. march — the month
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. march — the month
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. present — there
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. wax — for sculpting

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