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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. can — a tin
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. bear — the animal
  5. land — to come down
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. land — a country
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — to be able to
  10. club — a group
  11. rash — a series
  12. club — for golf
  13. hand — in cards
  14. fine — all right
  15. land — ground
  16. club — for dancing
  17. hand — help
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bear — the animal
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. fine — high quality

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