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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  2. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. How do you ________________ your surname?
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. scale — in music
  2. safe — a strongbox
  3. chair — a leader
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. club — for golf
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. spell — a short time
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. spell — letters
  13. present — the time now
  14. present — a gift
  15. club — for dancing
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. spell — magic
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. scale — size or range
  22. present — there
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. club — a 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