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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. Don't do anything ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rash — a series
  5. rash — hasty
  6. cue — a signal
  7. stand — to bear
  8. key — the most important part
  9. cue — for pool
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. mate — a partner
  12. cue — a hint
  13. bulb — for light
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. key — in music
  16. bulb — for light
  17. key — for a lock
  18. mate — a friend
  19. bulb — of a plant
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. mate — to breed
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — for measuring

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