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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 still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. mark — a trace
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. mark — a grade
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. charge — in control
  8. craft — a skill
  9. charge — a price
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. key — in music
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. fork — in a road
  15. ruler — for measuring
  16. key — the most important part
  17. craft — boats
  18. fork — to eat with
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. chair — a leader
  23. charge — electricity
  24. key — for a lock

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