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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. march — the month
  11. cap — a lid
  12. cap — of ice
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. rush — hurry
  15. march — music
  16. deal — to handle
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. deal — an agreement
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. march — the month
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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