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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. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  2. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  15. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. The old man leaned on his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. mouse — for a computer
  3. cue — a hint
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. rule — a law
  11. rock — a stone
  12. staff — employees
  13. rule — government
  14. cue — a signal
  15. cue — for pool
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. rock — music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. staff — employees
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. chair — a leader
  24. staff — a stick

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