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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  6. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  7. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  8. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  9. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  10. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  11. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. ground — a position
  4. bank — of a river
  5. race — a contest
  6. bank — for money
  7. ground — the earth
  8. race — the arms race
  9. wound — an injury
  10. wound — past of 'wind'
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. ground — crushed
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. staff — a stick
  16. staff — employees
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bank — for money
  20. race — humankind
  21. wound — an injury
  22. staff — employees
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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