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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. He is an ace ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bank — for money
  3. key — for a lock
  4. key — in music
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pitcher — a jug
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. pitcher — a jug
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. bank — for money
  15. bank — of a river
  16. fall — the season
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. fall — to drop
  20. pitcher — in baseball
  21. chair — a leader
  22. fall — to drop
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. key — the most important part

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