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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 116 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'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  17. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  18. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. chair — a leader
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. ball — a round shape
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. current — electric
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. fine — all right
  10. branch — a division
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. current — happening now
  17. branch — of a bank
  18. pound — a weight
  19. current — of water
  20. fine — high quality
  21. squash — to crush
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

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