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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Did you ________________ the meat?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a leader
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. season — of the year
  7. current — happening now
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. file — a line of people
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. ball — a great time
  15. file — a tool
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. current — of water
  19. ball — a dance
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. current — electric
  22. file — a document
  23. season — in sport
  24. season — to add flavour

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