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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  11. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  12. That must've been a ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. present — there
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. charge — in control
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bark — of a tree
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bark — a dog's sound
  11. court — of law
  12. rush — a thrill
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. court — of a king
  15. rush — hurry
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. present — a gift
  19. charge — electricity
  20. present — the time now
  21. court — for sport
  22. charge — a price
  23. bark — to shout
  24. chair — a leader

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