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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. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  14. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  22. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  23. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — a box
  2. craft — a skill
  3. can — a tin
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. can — a tin
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. firm — steady
  8. chest — of your body
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. cap — a lid
  11. chair — a leader
  12. cap — of ice
  13. row — a line
  14. board — a committee
  15. craft — boats
  16. row — a quarrel
  17. row — to paddle
  18. can — to be able to
  19. board — to get on
  20. firm — decided
  21. chest — of your body
  22. firm — a company
  23. board — a flat piece
  24. cap — a hat

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