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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. The light ________________ burned out.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  24. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chair — a leader
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bulb — for light
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. track — a song
  10. bore — gave birth
  11. sharp — clever
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bulb — for light
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stand — to bear
  19. track — to keep track
  20. bore — to tire
  21. sharp — with an edge
  22. bore — to drill
  23. bulb — of a plant
  24. track — a path

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