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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. suit — clothes
  3. bank — for money
  4. pop — music
  5. suit — to fit
  6. season — of the year
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. bank — of a river
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. pop — soda
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. season — in sport
  15. suit — in cards
  16. wave — of the sea
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. present — the time now
  20. pop — to visit
  21. present — a gift
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. bank — for money
  24. present — there

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