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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. dip — to sink
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. hand — help
  6. stand — to bear
  7. hand — in cards
  8. dip — to dunk
  9. prune — to trim
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. calf — of the leg
  12. prune — to trim
  13. chair — a leader
  14. rush — hurry
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. perch — the fish
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. hand — part of the body
  24. rush — to hurry

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