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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 120 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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  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. suit — in cards
  2. squash — to crush
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. board — to get on
  6. rest — what's left
  7. squash — the sport
  8. chair — a leader
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. board — a committee
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. march — the month
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. march — the month
  15. march — music
  16. suit — clothes
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. wax — to grow
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. wax — for sculpting
  22. rest — a break
  23. board — a flat piece
  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