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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  8. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. suit — in cards
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. scale — size or range
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. ruler — a monarch
  8. suit — clothes
  9. scale — in music
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. chair — a leader
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. staff — a stick
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. suit — to fit
  21. pitch — completely
  22. patient — calm and waiting
  23. staff — employees
  24. staff — employees

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