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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. rest — a break
  3. bulb — for light
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. club — a group
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. fine — all right
  8. club — for dancing
  9. court — of a king
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. object — a thing
  12. rest — what's left
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. court — of law
  15. fine — high quality
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. object — an aim
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. rest — what's left
  21. object — to protest
  22. bulb — for light
  23. court — for sport
  24. club — for golf

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