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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. shower — a meteor shower
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. stand — to bear
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. shower — to wash
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bass — the fish
  15. bass — low music
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. staff — a stick
  19. racket — a loud noise
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. staff — employees
  23. staff — employees
  24. shower — rain

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