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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  19. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. spring — a coil
  5. dip — to sink
  6. spell — a short time
  7. bass — the fish
  8. squash — to crush
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. squash — the sport
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. bass — the instrument
  13. spring — of water
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. bass — low music
  17. spell — letters
  18. spell — magic
  19. squash — the vegetable
  20. fine — all right
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. fine — high quality
  24. spring — the season

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