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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Have you met the new head ________________?
  23. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. drill — the tool
  3. chair — a leader
  4. dip — a sauce
  5. mug — a face
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mug — a cup
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. suit — to fit
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. coach — pulled by horses
  14. dip — to sink
  15. mug — to rob
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. bark — to shout
  20. drill — army training
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. bark — of a tree
  24. suit — clothes

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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