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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  15. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. cell — in biology
  3. object — to protest
  4. chair — a leader
  5. board — to get on
  6. ruler — for measuring
  7. object — an aim
  8. staff — employees
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. staff — employees
  11. board — a committee
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. wax — in the ear
  15. object — a thing
  16. last — finally
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. staff — a stick
  19. wax — to grow
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. cell — a phone
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. last — final

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