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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. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  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. chair — a professorship
  2. bear — the animal
  3. squash — to crush
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a leader
  9. rock — music
  10. rock — a stone
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. court — of a king
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. court — of law
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. squash — the sport
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. court — for sport
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bear — the animal
  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