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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. toast — the most admired
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. toast — bread
  12. fine — high quality
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. toast — a drink to someone
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. fine — all right

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