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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. spell — letters
  3. object — an aim
  4. staff — employees
  5. rock — a stone
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. last — finally
  8. chip — for betting
  9. spell — magic
  10. staff — a stick
  11. last — final
  12. chip — to eat
  13. last — to go on
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. object — a thing
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. object — to protest
  19. chair — a leader
  20. rock — music
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. staff — employees
  23. spell — a short time
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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