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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 had a ________________ with my boss today.
  2. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  23. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a quarrel
  2. mine — for digging
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. row — a line
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. staff — employees
  7. rock — a stone
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. staff — a stick
  10. temple — side of the head
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. rock — music
  15. chair — a leader
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. temple — a place of worship
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. row — to paddle
  23. staff — employees
  24. leaves — to go away

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