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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. track — a path
  4. fork — in a road
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. tube — a container
  7. tube — the underground
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. track — a song
  10. bank — for money
  11. lean — thin
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. track — to keep track
  15. bank — for money
  16. lean — to rest against
  17. rush — hurry
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. fork — a garden tool
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. bank — of a river
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lean — to bend
  24. chair — a leader

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