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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  15. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. can — a tin
  3. current — happening now
  4. net — in sport
  5. current — of water
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. board — to get on
  8. current — electric
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. chair — a leader
  12. net — for catching
  13. can — to be able to
  14. racket — for tennis
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. ball — a great time
  17. can — a tin
  18. perch — the fish
  19. ball — a dance
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. net — after costs
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. board — a committee

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