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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 116 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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. lie — an untruth
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. land — a country
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. nail — on a finger
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. prune — to trim
  15. land — to come down
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. prune — to trim
  19. land — ground
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. lie — to recline

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