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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 120 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. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. How do you ________________ your surname?
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. spell — a short time
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. spell — letters
  8. content — the amount
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. saw — the tool
  11. scale — size or range
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. spell — magic
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. chair — a professorship
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. saw — the tool
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. content — happy
  23. scale — in music
  24. ruler — for measuring

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