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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. saw — the tool
  4. club — for golf
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. perch — for a bird
  7. perch — the fish
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rock — a stone
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. chair — a leader
  14. saw — the tool
  15. club — for dancing
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. club — a group
  20. season — in sport
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. season — of the year
  24. rock — music

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