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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. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. staff — employees
  3. toast — bread
  4. chair — a leader
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. mug — to rob
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. mug — a face
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. staff — a stick
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mug — a cup
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. sharp — clever
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bass — the fish
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. bass — low music
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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