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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 116 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: chair · pass · pitcher · rock · saw · spell

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. spell — a short time
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. rock — music
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. spell — letters
  11. saw — the tool
  12. chair — a leader
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. pass — a permit
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. saw — the tool
  17. spell — magic
  18. pitcher — a jug

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