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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  10. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. net — for catching
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. cabinet — a cupboard
  10. jam — to spread on bread
  11. mark — a grade
  12. toast — bread
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. mark — a trace
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. net — after costs
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. toast — the most admired
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. chair — a leader
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. rush — hurry
  24. coach — a trainer

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