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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 120 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  7. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  18. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  21. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  22. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  23. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. drill — the tool
  6. root — the cause
  7. deal — an agreement
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. root — of a plant
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. lie — to recline
  14. deal — to handle
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. plane — a tool
  18. coach — pulled by horses
  19. drill — a practice
  20. root — of a word
  21. drill — army training
  22. arm — part of the body
  23. plane — in geometry
  24. coach — a trainer

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