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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. My father caught me by the ________________.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. mug — a cup
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. mug — a face
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. chest — a box
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. chest — of your body
  12. bank — for money
  13. mark — a grade
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. chest — of your body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. bank — of a river
  18. mark — a trace
  19. bank — for money
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. mug — to rob
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. arm — a part of something

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