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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: board · club · last · rash · bear · chair · mug · file

  1. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. file — a tool
  2. bear — the animal
  3. file — a document
  4. board — a flat piece
  5. mug — a cup
  6. club — a group
  7. last — final
  8. board — to get on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. file — a line of people
  11. mug — a face
  12. club — for golf
  13. bear — the animal
  14. club — for dancing
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. last — finally
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. rash — hasty
  19. mug — to rob
  20. rash — a series
  21. board — a committee
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. last — to go on
  24. chair — a leader

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