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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. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  9. The ball is in your ________________.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. rock — a stone
  3. chair — a leader
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. court — of a king
  6. row — a quarrel
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. row — a line
  9. court — for sport
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. net — in sport
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. net — for catching
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. row — to paddle
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. rock — music
  20. court — of law
  21. net — after costs
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. jam — to spread on bread

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