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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. chair — a leader
  4. charge — in control
  5. craft — a skill
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. wake — a trail
  9. charge — a price
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. stand — to bear
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. charge — electricity
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. leaves — lets stay
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. craft — boats

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