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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. deal — to handle
  3. rest — what's left
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. band — a ring
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. rest — what's left
  11. swing — music
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. rest — a break
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. swing — to play on
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. chair — a leader
  24. band — a music group

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