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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. saw — the tool
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. suit — to fit
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. suit — clothes
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. suit — in cards
  19. bank — for money
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bank — for money
  24. wound — an injury

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