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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. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. bank — of a river
  2. foot — a measure
  3. fork — a garden tool
  4. chair — a leader
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bank — for money
  7. deal — to handle
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. bank — for money
  12. fine — all right
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. deal — an agreement
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. mark — a trace
  19. foot — part of the body
  20. fork — in a road
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. mark — a grade
  23. fine — high quality
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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