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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  20. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — to keep track
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. swing — in golf
  4. capital — a city
  5. fall — the season
  6. fine — high quality
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. fine — all right
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. chair — a leader
  11. capital — money
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. fall — to drop
  14. swing — to play on
  15. track — a song
  16. swing — music
  17. rock — a stone
  18. track — a path
  19. fall — to drop
  20. rock — music
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. capital — a big letter
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. chair — a professorship

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