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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. There's no middle ________________.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. ground — a position
  4. charge — electricity
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. track — a path
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — in control
  11. squash — the sport
  12. ground — the earth
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bank — of a river
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bank — for money
  17. ground — crushed
  18. track — to keep track
  19. squash — to crush
  20. squash — the vegetable
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. charge — a price
  23. track — a song
  24. bank — for money

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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