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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  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 — to sit on
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. firm — a company
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. band — a music group
  8. rest — what's left
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. rest — what's left
  13. bear — the animal
  14. band — a ring
  15. rest — a break
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. bear — the animal
  19. firm — steady
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. firm — decided
  23. chair — a professorship
  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