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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.

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: can · drill · deal · sharp · wave · mug · chest · chair

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  18. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. chest — of your body
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. can — a tin
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — army training
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. can — to be able to
  9. mug — a face
  10. sharp — clever
  11. mug — to rob
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. chest — of your body
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. deal — to handle
  16. chair — a leader
  17. mug — a cup
  18. drill — a practice
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. chest — a box
  22. can — a tin
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. sharp — with an edge

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