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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  12. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. swing — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lean — thin
  5. lean — to bend
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. object — an aim
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. object — to protest
  10. swing — to play on
  11. root — the cause
  12. root — of a plant
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pitch — completely
  16. rest — what's left
  17. chair — a leader
  18. rest — a break
  19. root — of a word
  20. object — a thing
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. kick — in football
  23. swing — in golf
  24. chair — to sit on

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