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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. season — of the year
  6. season — in sport
  7. chair — a leader
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. scale — in music
  10. rush — hurry
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. pit — in a race
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bank — of a river
  17. scale — size or range
  18. pit — a hole
  19. deal — to handle
  20. bank — for money
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. bank — for money
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. deal — an agreement

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