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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. He's quite ________________, isn't he?

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. club — for dancing
  3. club — a group
  4. file — a document
  5. perch — the fish
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. stand — to bear
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. club — for golf
  10. bank — for money
  11. file — a tool
  12. toast — bread
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. bank — of a river
  19. chair — a leader
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. file — a line of people
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. bank — for money
  24. sharp — clever

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