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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  11. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  17. The ________________ went through the wall.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. prune — the fruit
  3. chair — a leader
  4. cue — a hint
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. land — a country
  9. land — ground
  10. wax — in the ear
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. cue — for pool
  13. land — to come down
  14. cue — a signal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. prune — to trim
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. prune — to trim
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. bound — tied together
  21. bound — certain
  22. wax — to grow
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. nail — on a finger

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