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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 116 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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. net — in sport
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. hand — in cards
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bear — the animal
  7. charge — electricity
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. vault — in gymnastics
  12. charge — in control
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. hand — part of the body
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. net — for catching
  19. club — a group
  20. charge — a price
  21. club — for golf
  22. club — for dancing
  23. net — after costs
  24. vault — a safe

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