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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 120 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. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. He is an ace ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — a cupboard
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. track — a song
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. pitcher — in baseball
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. rash — a series
  10. rash — hasty
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. pitcher — a jug
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. track — to keep track
  19. track — a path
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. chair — a leader
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. rash — on the skin
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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