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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. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. We're on a ________________ here.
  22. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. roll — a cake
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. face — to confront
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. face — part of the head
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. chair — a leader
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. lie — to recline
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. roll — a list
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. roll — on a roll
  22. face — to point toward
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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