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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. present — a gift
  4. present — there
  5. band — a rubber band
  6. band — a ring
  7. firm — a company
  8. club — a group
  9. firm — decided
  10. present — the time now
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. season — in sport
  14. saw — the tool
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. chair — a leader
  17. club — for golf
  18. season — of the year
  19. firm — steady
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. saw — the tool
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. band — a music group
  24. club — for dancing

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