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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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  14. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. suit — to fit
  3. cell — in biology
  4. rock — music
  5. season — of the year
  6. foot — part of the body
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. wake — a trail
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. rule — government
  13. cell — a phone
  14. chair — a professorship
  15. suit — clothes
  16. wake — before a funeral
  17. foot — a measure
  18. foot — the bottom
  19. chair — a leader
  20. season — in sport
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. suit — in cards
  23. rule — a law
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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