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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 put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  10. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Where did you ________________ them?
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. mug — a cup
  3. row — to paddle
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — a leader
  6. row — a line
  7. fall — the season
  8. fall — to drop
  9. fall — to drop
  10. board — a committee
  11. mug — a face
  12. craft — boats
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. board — to get on
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. craft — a skill
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. mug — to rob
  24. fan — to cool the air

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