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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  7. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a leader
  3. present — a gift
  4. cue — for pool
  5. ground — a position
  6. ground — crushed
  7. present — the time now
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. current — happening now
  10. rock — music
  11. rock — a stone
  12. toast — bread
  13. mark — a trace
  14. current — of water
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. mark — a grade
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. ground — the earth
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. current — electric
  21. cue — a hint
  22. cue — a signal
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. present — there

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