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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  12. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. He was locked up in a ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. file — a tool
  3. file — a line of people
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. cell — in biology
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. pound — for dogs
  12. straw — dry grass
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. fine — high quality
  17. pound — a weight
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. cell — a phone
  20. cell — in a prison
  21. fine — all right
  22. file — a document
  23. pound — to hit hard
  24. straw — a straw man

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