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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. object — a thing
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. object — an aim
  7. bear — to put up with
  8. object — to protest
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bear — the animal
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. deal — to handle
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. stock — shares
  22. bear — the animal
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. stock — goods

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