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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. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. present — there
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. wax — for sculpting
  5. chair — a leader
  6. toast — the most admired
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. present — the time now
  9. present — a gift
  10. suit — to fit
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bound — tied together
  17. bound — certain
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — to grow
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. toast — bread

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