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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. present — the time now
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. mine — for digging
  5. rest — what's left
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. present — a gift
  9. rest — a break
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. stem — to come from
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. fine — high quality
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. chair — a leader
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. fine — all right
  22. stem — a stem cell
  23. lie — to recline
  24. present — there

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