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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. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  6. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a grade
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. rest — what's left
  4. rest — a break
  5. track — a path
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — of ice
  8. track — a song
  9. firm — steady
  10. chair — a leader
  11. track — to keep track
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. mark — a trace
  14. cap — a hat
  15. firm — a company
  16. firm — decided
  17. cell — in biology
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. cell — a phone
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. cap — a lid
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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