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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  2. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  3. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — a monarch
  2. staff — a stick
  3. clip — to cut
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. deal — to handle
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. toast — bread
  8. chair — a leader
  9. wave — a sudden rise
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. staff — employees
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. clip — a video
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. clip — for paper
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. deal — an agreement
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. staff — employees

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