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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The tickets are free of ________________.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. charge — a price
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. mine — an explosive
  8. sharp — clever
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. mine — for digging
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. club — for dancing
  13. charge — in control
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. club — a group
  18. club — for golf
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. charge — electricity
  21. foot — a measure
  22. nail — on a finger
  23. chair — a leader
  24. foot — part of the body

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