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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. That was ________________ to happen.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. ball — a dance
  3. can — a tin
  4. chip — in a computer
  5. can — a tin
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. ball — a great time
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. ball — a round shape
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. stand — to bear
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. bound — obliged
  14. kick — with a leg
  15. can — to be able to
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bound — tied together
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bound — certain
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. kick — in football

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