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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  16. I can't ________________ this cold.
  17. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. squash — the vegetable
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. chair — a leader
  6. suit — clothes
  7. rock — to move gently
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — ground
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. branch — of a bank
  14. suit — to fit
  15. branch — of a tree
  16. stand — to bear
  17. squash — the sport
  18. land — a country
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. squash — to crush
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. rock — music
  23. branch — a division
  24. suit — in cards

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