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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  13. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  19. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bound — tied together
  14. stand — to bear
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bound — certain
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bound — obliged
  19. prune — to trim
  20. chair — a leader
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. fine — high quality
  23. fine — all right
  24. prune — to trim

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