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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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  10. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. That was ________________ to happen.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. file — a document
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. file — a tool
  5. stem — a stem cell
  6. bound — obliged
  7. stem — to come from
  8. pit — a hole
  9. stem — of a plant
  10. current — of water
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. file — a line of people
  13. key — in music
  14. rock — a stone
  15. current — happening now
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. pit — in a race
  18. current — electric
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. key — the most important part
  22. bound — tied together
  23. bound — certain
  24. rock — music

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