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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. My father caught me by the ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bound — obliged
  5. staff — employees
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. arm — part of the body
  8. staff — employees
  9. bank — for money
  10. bound — tied together
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. arm — a part of something
  14. track — a song
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. staff — a stick
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bank — for money
  20. track — a path
  21. bound — certain
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. bank — of a river
  24. nail — on a finger

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