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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. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  10. He is an ace ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.

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

Answer key

  1. calf — of the leg
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. suit — clothes
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. calf — a young animal
  7. suit — to fit
  8. saw — the tool
  9. present — the time now
  10. pitcher — in baseball
  11. chair — a leader
  12. present — there
  13. rush — hurry
  14. saw — the tool
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. present — a gift
  19. suit — in cards
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. saw — past of 'see'

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