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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: racket · scale · jam · date · bore · staff · toast · chair

  1. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  13. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Have you settled on a ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  22. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — the most admired
  2. toast — bread
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. staff — employees
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. staff — employees
  12. bore — to tire
  13. bore — to drill
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. chair — a leader
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. staff — a stick
  21. bore — gave birth
  22. jam — to spread on bread
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. date — the fruit

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