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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 124 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a leader
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. suit — to fit
  5. rule — to rule out
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. suit — in cards
  8. suit — clothes
  9. rule — government
  10. march — music
  11. rule — a law
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. march — the month
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. firm — a company
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. firm — decided
  20. wake — a trail
  21. march — the month
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. firm — steady
  24. fan — to cool the air

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