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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. lie — to recline
  4. object — to protest
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. fork — in a road
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wax — to grow
  12. object — an aim
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. saw — the tool
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. object — a thing
  20. mark — a grade
  21. saw — the tool
  22. mark — a trace
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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