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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: bowl · pitcher · rule · toast · stand · nail · pop · chair

  1. You don't need to ________________ round.
  2. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. He is an ace ________________.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — to visit
  2. toast — a drink to someone
  3. chair — a leader
  4. rule — government
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. rule — to rule out
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rule — a law
  12. pop — soda
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. toast — bread
  17. pitcher — in baseball
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. pop — music
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. bowl — a dish
  24. stand — to bear

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