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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.

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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  23. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  24. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. firm — a company
  4. present — a gift
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. firm — decided
  7. present — there
  8. present — the time now
  9. mug — a face
  10. wake — to stop sleeping
  11. mug — to rob
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. chair — a leader
  14. firm — steady
  15. shower — to wash
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. mug — a cup
  18. deal — to handle
  19. game — a match
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. shower — rain
  23. game — wild animals
  24. game — a kind of play

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