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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. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  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. staff — employees
  2. pit — in a race
  3. pit — a fruit stone
  4. key — the most important part
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. staff — a stick
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. key — in music
  10. fine — all right
  11. chair — a leader
  12. season — of the year
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. pit — a hole
  15. staff — employees
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. fine — a penalty
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. season — in sport
  21. fine — high quality
  22. key — for a lock
  23. chair — to sit on
  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