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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. calf — a young animal
  4. bound — certain
  5. calf — of the leg
  6. chair — a leader
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. wind — moving air
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. roll — a cake
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. wind — moving air
  18. roll — a list
  19. bound — tied together
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bound — obliged
  24. leaves — lets stay

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