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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  17. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  18. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. charge — electricity
  6. track — a song
  7. suit — clothes
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. charge — a price
  10. track — to keep track
  11. chest — a box
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. chest — of your body
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. bark — to shout
  17. bark — of a tree
  18. chest — of your body
  19. charge — in control
  20. suit — to fit
  21. track — a path
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. suit — in cards

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