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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.

Make a worksheet

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. The tickets are free of ________________.
  2. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  8. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.

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

Answer key

  1. charge — a price
  2. perch — for a bird
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. chair — a leader
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. wake — before a funeral
  8. chair — to sit on
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. perch — for a bird
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. charge — electricity
  13. present — there
  14. charge — in control
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. present — a gift
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. present — the time now
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. wake — a trail
  22. vault — a safe
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. perch — the fish

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