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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 have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  23. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  24. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — part of the body
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. bear — the animal
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. cue — a signal
  6. rule — a law
  7. cue — a hint
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. degree — an amount
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. foot — a measure
  14. bear — the animal
  15. rule — to rule out
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. degree — from a university
  18. chair — a leader
  19. cue — for pool
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. rule — government
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. ruler — a monarch
  24. degree — temperature

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