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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. chest — a box
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chest — of your body
  6. scale — in music
  7. track — a song
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. track — a path
  10. firm — a company
  11. firm — steady
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. track — to keep track
  14. mark — a trace
  15. roll — a cake
  16. mark — a grade
  17. fine — all right
  18. fine — high quality
  19. firm — decided
  20. chest — of your body
  21. roll — a list
  22. scale — size or range
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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