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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. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. plane — in geometry
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. key — the most important part
  6. chair — a leader
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. mark — a trace
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. key — in music
  18. trunk — of a car
  19. mark — a grade
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. trunk — of a tree
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. plane — a tool
  24. bay — a horse colour

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