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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 120 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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  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. chair — a professorship
  2. kick — in football
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. wax — to grow
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. saw — the tool
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. rock — a stone
  12. saw — the tool
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. suit — to fit
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. chair — a leader
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wax — in the ear
  20. rock — music
  21. suit — in cards
  22. wax — for sculpting
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. suit — clothes

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