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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  21. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mark — a trace
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. scale — for weighing
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. scale — in music
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. scale — size or range
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. current — happening now
  15. current — of water
  16. lie — to recline
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. current — electric
  19. mark — a grade
  20. plane — a tool
  21. safe — out of danger
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. chair — a leader

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