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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. bank — for money
  5. ball — a dance
  6. mate — a friend
  7. bank — of a river
  8. mate — to breed
  9. deal — an agreement
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. bass — the fish
  12. rest — what's left
  13. mate — a partner
  14. rest — what's left
  15. charge — in control
  16. rest — a break
  17. ball — a great time
  18. bass — low music
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bank — for money
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. charge — a price
  23. charge — electricity
  24. chair — a professorship

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