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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. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  20. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. game — wild animals
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. staff — a stick
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chair — a leader
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. key — in music
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. key — the most important part
  11. bark — of a tree
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. hide — animal skin
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. game — a match
  19. staff — employees
  20. bark — a dog's sound
  21. bark — to shout
  22. key — for a lock
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. staff — employees

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