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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  9. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  10. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. False peace will not ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. bank — for money
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. scale — in music
  7. chair — a leader
  8. wind — moving air
  9. scale — size or range
  10. club — a group
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. last — finally
  13. bank — of a river
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. club — for dancing
  16. last — final
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. club — for golf
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. last — to go on
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. bank — for money
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. chair — to sit on

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