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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 116 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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  12. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mate — a friend
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. firm — decided
  11. suit — clothes
  12. dip — a sauce
  13. mate — to breed
  14. suit — to fit
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a dance
  17. mate — a partner
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. ball — a great time
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. firm — a company
  22. dip — to sink
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. firm — steady

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