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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. mug — a face
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. rest — what's left
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. wound — past of 'wind'
  8. mug — a cup
  9. lie — to recline
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. wound — an injury
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. fan — to cool the air
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. fine — all right
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. fine — high quality
  22. rest — a break
  23. mug — to rob
  24. wound — an injury

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