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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. bark — a dog's sound
  4. season — in sport
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. club — a group
  7. charge — a price
  8. club — for golf
  9. bank — for money
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. bank — of a river
  12. season — of the year
  13. can — a tin
  14. bark — to shout
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bank — for money
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. can — a tin
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. club — for dancing
  21. charge — electricity
  22. can — to be able to
  23. snap — to click
  24. charge — in control

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