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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bound — tied together
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. ground — the earth
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mark — a grade
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. mark — a trace
  12. game — wild animals
  13. ground — crushed
  14. suit — to fit
  15. chair — a leader
  16. bound — obliged
  17. suit — clothes
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. ground — a position
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bound — certain
  24. game — a match

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