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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: object · toast · ball · deal · chair · present

  1. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. object — an aim
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. present — a gift
  6. ball — a dance
  7. ball — a great time
  8. chair — a leader
  9. present — the time now
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. toast — bread
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. present — there
  15. deal — to handle
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. object — a thing
  18. object — to protest

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