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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  14. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  15. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. cue — for pool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. board — a committee
  6. bound — tied together
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. board — to get on
  10. wind — moving air
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. bound — certain
  13. bound — obliged
  14. ground — crushed
  15. cue — a hint
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. chair — a leader
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. ground — the earth
  22. cue — a signal
  23. ground — a position
  24. wind — to turn a key

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