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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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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: mug · chair · net · toast · hide · ground

  1. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  5. There's no middle ________________.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. mug — a face
  3. toast — bread
  4. net — after costs
  5. ground — a position
  6. mug — a cup
  7. net — in sport
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. mug — to rob
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. ground — the earth
  14. net — for catching
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. ground — crushed

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