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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. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  11. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  17. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. I'll take my ________________ from you.

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

Answer key

  1. arm — a part of something
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. wax — for sculpting
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. cue — for pool
  7. present — there
  8. tear — to rip
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. tear — from crying
  12. board — a committee
  13. present — the time now
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. wax — to grow
  17. board — a flat piece
  18. board — to get on
  19. rush — hurry
  20. cue — a signal
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. present — a gift
  23. tear — from crying
  24. cue — a hint

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