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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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  9. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  10. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  24. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. chair — a leader
  3. can — a tin
  4. vault — a safe
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. row — a line
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. vault — an arched ceiling
  9. snap — to snap out of it
  10. row — to paddle
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. snap — to click
  14. snap — to speak sharply
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. firm — a company
  17. can — to be able to
  18. cell — in biology
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. cell — a phone
  21. firm — steady
  22. can — a tin
  23. firm — decided
  24. fan — a supporter

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