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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
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: saw · chair · fan · stick · racket · sharp · present · track

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. chair — a leader
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. track — a path
  9. present — a gift
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. saw — the tool
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. sharp — clever
  15. present — there
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. track — a song
  20. present — the time now
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. track — to keep track

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