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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  6. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. chair — a leader
  5. pound — a weight
  6. pound — for dogs
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pit — in a race
  9. mate — a partner
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. pit — a hole
  12. suit — clothes
  13. lie — to recline
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. hand — help
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. hand — part of the body
  22. suit — to fit
  23. hand — in cards
  24. mate — a friend

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