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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. firm — steady
  4. season — of the year
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. firm — a company
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. lean — to rest against
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. season — in sport
  11. lean — to bend
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. firm — decided
  15. lie — to recline
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lean — thin
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. deal — to handle
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. deal — an agreement

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