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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  16. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. mug — to rob
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. board — to get on
  5. club — a group
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. dip — to sink
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. mug — a cup
  12. jam — in traffic
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. root — the cause
  16. date — the fruit
  17. board — a committee
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. root — of a plant
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. mug — a face
  22. root — of a word
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — for golf

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