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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. track — a path
  4. track — a song
  5. present — a gift
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. present — there
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. chair — a leader
  20. track — to keep track
  21. present — the time now
  22. lie — to recline
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. lie — an untruth

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