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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  5. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a leader
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. trunk — of an elephant
  5. hide — animal skin
  6. stock — goods
  7. last — finally
  8. last — final
  9. bound — certain
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. trunk — of a car
  13. club — a group
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. club — for dancing
  18. bound — tied together
  19. club — for golf
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. bound — obliged
  23. last — to go on
  24. stock — shares

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