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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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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. mug — a cup
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wax — for sculpting
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. wax — to grow
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. chest — a box
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chest — of your body
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. mug — a face
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. deal — to handle
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. chest — of your body
  24. dip — to sink

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