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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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. Have you met the new head ________________?
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — a trainer
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bound — obliged
  4. root — of a word
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. can — a tin
  8. bound — tied together
  9. root — the cause
  10. spell — magic
  11. firm — steady
  12. land — ground
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. spell — letters
  15. root — of a plant
  16. land — to come down
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. bound — certain
  19. firm — decided
  20. land — a country
  21. can — to be able to
  22. can — a tin
  23. firm — a company
  24. spell — a short time

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