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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 124 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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  18. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  21. The ________________ market has crashed.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bear — the animal
  3. swing — music
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. present — the time now
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. pass — a permit
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. chair — a leader
  15. present — there
  16. present — a gift
  17. stock — a soup base
  18. stock — goods
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. swing — in golf
  21. stock — shares
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. bear — the animal
  24. swing — to play on

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