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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. suit — to fit
  3. deal — to handle
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. row — a line
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. bear — the animal
  8. bear — the animal
  9. mark — a grade
  10. suit — clothes
  11. row — to paddle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. mark — to pay attention
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. toast — bread
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. chair — a leader
  23. suit — in cards
  24. mark — a trace

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