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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. arm — a part of something
  3. fine — high quality
  4. spell — letters
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. saw — the tool
  7. saw — the tool
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. spell — a short time
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. spell — magic
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. capital — a city
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. rule — government
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. rule — a law
  21. chair — a leader
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. fine — all right
  24. capital — money

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