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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. deal — to handle
  3. ground — the earth
  4. craft — boats
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. capital — money
  7. suit — to fit
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. chair — a leader
  12. suit — clothes
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. straw — a straw man
  16. suit — in cards
  17. ground — a position
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. straw — to clutch at straws
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. capital — a city
  23. ground — crushed
  24. craft — a skill

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