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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.

Make a worksheet

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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. safe — out of danger
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. cell — a phone
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. root — of a word
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. board — to get on
  13. wax — for sculpting
  14. cell — in biology
  15. root — the cause
  16. wax — to grow
  17. board — a committee
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — the animal
  21. root — of a plant
  22. chair — a leader
  23. board — a flat piece
  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