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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 116 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: fork · mug · chair · rest · pop · object · saw · leaves

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. You don't need to ________________ round.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  22. Where did you ________________ them?
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. pop — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. object — an aim
  8. fork — in a road
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rest — a break
  11. pop — soda
  12. object — to protest
  13. mug — a cup
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. pop — to visit
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. mug — a face
  19. rest — what's left
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. object — a thing
  22. mug — to rob
  23. saw — the tool
  24. leaves — of a tree

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