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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 116 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Where did you ________________ them?
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. mug — a cup
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. object — an aim
  5. mug — to rob
  6. board — to get on
  7. field — for sport
  8. object — to protest
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. object — a thing
  11. mug — a face
  12. lie — to recline
  13. chair — a leader
  14. field — farmland
  15. field — a subject
  16. board — a committee
  17. wax — to grow
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bound — certain

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