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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. He had ________________ pain while walking.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. firm — a company
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. chair — a leader
  5. cue — a signal
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. cue — a hint
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. firm — steady
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. cue — for pool
  15. season — in sport
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. firm — decided
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. season — of the year
  24. calf — of the leg

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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