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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. mug — to rob
  3. stick — to attach or keep to
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. last — to go on
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. last — final
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pit — in a race
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mug — a face
  21. pit — a hole
  22. last — finally
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mug — a cup

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