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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. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — for weighing
  2. scale — size or range
  3. chair — a leader
  4. suit — to fit
  5. club — for dancing
  6. scale — in music
  7. rest — a break
  8. club — for golf
  9. rest — what's left
  10. drill — the tool
  11. drill — a practice
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. club — a group
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. suit — in cards
  20. drill — army training
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. suit — clothes
  24. rest — what's left

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