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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 120 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 giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  20. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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. calf — a young animal
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. staff — employees
  7. plane — in geometry
  8. charge — in control
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. charge — a price
  11. staff — employees
  12. charge — electricity
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. staff — a stick
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. can — to be able to
  19. hide — animal skin
  20. can — a tin
  21. plane — a tool
  22. row — a quarrel
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. chair — to sit on

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