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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. track — to keep track
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. roll — a list
  12. track — a song
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. fork — in a road
  16. track — a path
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. dip — to sink
  21. roll — a cake
  22. trunk — of a car
  23. chair — a leader
  24. fork — a garden tool

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