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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  3. Where did you ________________ them?
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  21. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. band — a rubber band
  3. mug — to rob
  4. mug — a cup
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. roll — a list
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. lean — thin
  10. club — a group
  11. band — a ring
  12. band — a music group
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. club — for golf
  16. deal — to handle
  17. lean — to bend
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. club — for dancing
  20. roll — a cake
  21. mug — a face
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. chair — a leader

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