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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
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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: mouse · rush · chest · scale · row · bear · toast · chair

  1. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  16. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  17. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. chair — a leader
  3. bear — the animal
  4. scale — size or range
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. toast — bread
  8. row — to paddle
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. chest — a box
  12. row — a line
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. bear — the animal
  15. chest — of your body
  16. scale — for weighing
  17. toast — a drink to someone
  18. scale — in music
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. mouse — for a computer
  22. rush — hurry
  23. row — a quarrel
  24. chest — of your body

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