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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  11. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Don't do anything ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. rash — a series
  6. firm — a company
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. tear — from crying
  11. toast — the most admired
  12. mark — a grade
  13. toast — a drink to someone
  14. mark — a trace
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. tear — from crying
  17. tear — to rip
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. toast — bread
  21. firm — decided
  22. chair — a leader
  23. firm — steady
  24. rash — hasty

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