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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're on a ________________ here.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the button?
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. roll — a cake
  5. key — in music
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. key — for a lock
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. press — a publisher
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. roll — a list
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. press — to push
  17. key — the most important part
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. press — newspapers
  24. trunk — of a tree

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