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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. My father caught me by the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  23. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chair — a leader
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — for a computer
  8. pass — a permit
  9. saw — the tool
  10. bass — the fish
  11. file — a document
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. bass — the instrument
  14. cue — a signal
  15. file — a tool
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. saw — the tool
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bass — low music
  22. file — a line of people
  23. cue — a hint
  24. pass — to succeed

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