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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — to fit
  3. track — a song
  4. suit — clothes
  5. suit — in cards
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. track — a path
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. shower — to wash
  14. shower — a meteor shower
  15. deal — to handle
  16. cell — a phone
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. chair — a leader
  19. shower — rain
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. saw — the tool
  22. cell — in biology
  23. track — to keep track
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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