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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. row — to paddle
  3. chest — a box
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. board — to get on
  11. chair — to sit on
  12. row — a line
  13. chest — of your body
  14. firm — decided
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. firm — steady
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. chest — of your body
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. board — a committee
  23. chair — a leader
  24. firm — a company

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