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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 office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — employees
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. track — to keep track
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. chair — a leader
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. face — part of the head
  9. face — to point toward
  10. can — a tin
  11. capital — money
  12. track — a song
  13. can — a tin
  14. capital — a city
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. face — to confront
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. track — a path
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. can — to be able to
  24. chair — to sit on

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