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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. There's no middle ________________.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  14. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. ground — a position
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. rest — a break
  5. rest — what's left
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ground — crushed
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. land — ground
  10. land — to come down
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. jam — in traffic
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. land — a country
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. rest — what's left
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. ground — the earth

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