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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.

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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. ground — the earth
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. chip — for betting
  11. chip — to eat
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. deal — to handle
  15. wax — to grow
  16. ground — a position
  17. lie — to recline
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. ground — crushed
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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