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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  11. It's one o'clock ________________.
  12. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. bass — the fish
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. bear — the animal
  7. kick — in football
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. sharp — exactly
  12. bass — low music
  13. mark — a grade
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. bear — the animal
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. sharp — clever
  20. mark — a trace
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a committee
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. sharp — with an edge

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