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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The tickets are free of ________________.
  11. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. When was this ________________ built?
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  24. I have a corn on my right ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. vault — a safe
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. land — ground
  4. temple — side of the head
  5. chair — a leader
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. present — a gift
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. charge — a price
  11. temple — a place of worship
  12. land — a country
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. foot — a measure
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. land — to come down
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. present — the time now
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. present — there
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. charge — in control
  23. charge — electricity
  24. foot — part of the body

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