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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. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  5. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. ball — a great time
  4. squash — to crush
  5. pit — a hole
  6. root — the cause
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. pass — a permit
  9. root — of a word
  10. ball — a dance
  11. chair — a leader
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. saw — the tool
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. pit — in a race
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. squash — the sport
  24. root — of a plant

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