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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  14. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  15. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. face — part of the head
  3. staff — a stick
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. fine — all right
  6. mark — a trace
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. face — to point toward
  13. staff — employees
  14. face — to confront
  15. mark — to pay attention
  16. wake — a trail
  17. fine — high quality
  18. perch — the fish
  19. wake — before a funeral
  20. staff — employees
  21. chair — a leader
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. wake — to stop sleeping
  24. mark — a grade

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