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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  7. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chair — a leader
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. row — to paddle
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. bark — to shout
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. row — a line
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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