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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The tickets are free of ________________.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  22. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. rest — what's left
  4. chair — a leader
  5. drill — the tool
  6. vault — a safe
  7. suit — to fit
  8. squash — to crush
  9. mark — a grade
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. charge — a price
  12. squash — the sport
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. rest — a break
  16. drill — army training
  17. suit — in cards
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. suit — clothes
  20. charge — electricity
  21. mark — a trace
  22. drill — a practice
  23. charge — in control
  24. rest — what's left

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