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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: ruler · wave · chest · pass · chair · hide

  1. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  15. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ruler — for measuring
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. pass — a permit
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. wave — of the sea
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. chair — a leader
  10. chest — of your body
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. chest — of your body
  15. chest — a box
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. chair — a professorship

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