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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  19. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. That was ________________ to happen.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. firm — decided
  3. object — a thing
  4. bound — tied together
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. stem — to come from
  8. firm — steady
  9. chair — a leader
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. object — an aim
  13. wound — an injury
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. stem — a stem cell
  17. firm — a company
  18. wound — past of 'wind'
  19. object — to protest
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. wound — an injury
  23. bound — obliged
  24. bound — certain

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