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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I've got to change the light ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. scale — size or range
  3. staff — employees
  4. scale — in music
  5. bulb — for light
  6. staff — a stick
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. club — for golf
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. bulb — for light
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. club — for dancing
  20. club — a group
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. staff — employees
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. ruler — a monarch

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