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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  5. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. The ________________ took off on time.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. craft — boats
  4. current — electric
  5. plane — in geometry
  6. mark — a grade
  7. club — for dancing
  8. plane — an aircraft
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. chair — a leader
  11. current — happening now
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. mark — a trace
  14. ball — a great time
  15. current — of water
  16. club — a group
  17. craft — a skill
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. plane — a tool
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. club — for golf
  24. ball — a dance

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