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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. key — in music
  4. field — a subject
  5. staff — employees
  6. suit — clothes
  7. suit — in cards
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. key — the most important part
  10. key — for a lock
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. field — farmland
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — rain
  15. suit — to fit
  16. chair — a leader
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. staff — employees
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. staff — a stick
  21. field — for sport
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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