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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. mark — a grade
  3. rash — hasty
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. fine — high quality
  7. mug — to rob
  8. fine — all right
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. mug — a face
  12. wax — to grow
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. chair — a leader
  18. kid — to tease
  19. mug — a cup
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. mark — a trace
  23. rash — a series
  24. kid — child

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