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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. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. We're almost out of ________________.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. bass — the instrument
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. can — to be able to
  5. bass — low music
  6. chair — a leader
  7. pop — soda
  8. current — of water
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. rash — hasty
  12. can — a tin
  13. rash — a series
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. pop — music
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. bass — the fish
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. can — a tin
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. current — electric
  23. current — happening now
  24. pop — to visit

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