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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: pass · spell · court · suit · stick · bear · present · chair

  1. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. pass — a permit
  3. court — of a king
  4. court — of law
  5. spell — magic
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. spell — a short time
  10. present — there
  11. bear — the animal
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. court — for sport
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. suit — in cards
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. suit — to fit
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. bear — the animal
  20. suit — clothes
  21. spell — letters
  22. chair — a leader
  23. present — a gift
  24. chair — to sit on

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