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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 116 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. mark — a trace
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. suit — to fit
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. kick — in football
  11. mark — a grade
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. band — a ring
  16. chair — a leader
  17. band — a music group
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. kick — with a leg
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. deal — to handle

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