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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  3. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Have you found your soul ________________?
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. vault — in gymnastics
  3. track — a path
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. vault — an arched ceiling
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. vault — a safe
  8. mate — to breed
  9. track — a song
  10. bear — the animal
  11. charge — electricity
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. fork — in a road
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. mate — a partner
  16. track — to keep track
  17. rash — a series
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bear — the animal
  21. chair — a leader
  22. mate — a friend
  23. charge — a price
  24. charge — in control

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