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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 120 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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. foot — part of the body
  5. bound — tied together
  6. present — a gift
  7. rule — government
  8. present — the time now
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — obliged
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. present — there
  15. board — to get on
  16. foot — a measure
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. chair — a leader
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. rule — a law
  22. bulb — for light
  23. bulb — for light
  24. board — a committee

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