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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  10. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The tickets are free of ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. saw — the tool
  3. cue — a signal
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. root — of a word
  6. pit — a hole
  7. cue — a hint
  8. charge — in control
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. cue — for pool
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. charge — a price
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. root — of a plant
  16. charge — electricity
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. craft — a skill
  19. saw — the tool
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. pit — in a race
  22. root — the cause
  23. craft — boats
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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