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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. squash — the vegetable
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. charge — in control
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. root — of a word
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. rush — hurry
  13. squash — the sport
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. root — the cause
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. toast — bread
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. squash — to crush
  22. root — of a plant
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — electricity

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