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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: cell · rule · rock · foot · chair · season

  1. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. He was locked up in a ________________.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. foot — a measure
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — a law
  5. rule — government
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. cell — in biology
  10. rock — music
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. cell — in a prison
  16. season — in sport
  17. cell — a phone
  18. season — of the year

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