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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  18. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. rest — what's left
  3. cue — for pool
  4. rest — a break
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cue — a signal
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. deal — to handle
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. wax — to grow
  17. cue — a hint
  18. deal — a big deal
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. lean — to bend
  21. bank — of a river
  22. lean — thin
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — for money

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