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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  17. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  18. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. fall — the season
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. fall — to drop
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. firm — steady
  16. roll — a list
  17. fall — to drop
  18. roll — a cake
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. firm — decided
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chair — a leader
  24. chair — to sit on

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