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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 museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  14. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. chair — a leader
  4. fork — in a road
  5. mug — a face
  6. lie — to recline
  7. craft — boats
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wax — to grow
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. mug — a cup
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bank — of a river
  18. bank — for money
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mug — to rob
  23. bank — for money
  24. bowl — to roll

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