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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 120 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. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. staff — employees
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. mate — a partner
  9. mate — a friend
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mate — to breed
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. staff — a stick
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. vault — in gymnastics
  17. court — for sport
  18. staff — employees
  19. mine — for digging
  20. chair — a leader
  21. sharp — clever
  22. vault — a safe
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. court — of a king

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