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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  13. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Where did you ________________ them?
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. spell — letters
  3. present — there
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. mug — a face
  6. net — after costs
  7. spell — a short time
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mark — a grade
  10. spell — magic
  11. chip — to eat
  12. net — in sport
  13. net — for catching
  14. mark — a trace
  15. chip — for betting
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mug — to rob
  18. present — the time now
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chip — in a computer
  22. present — a gift
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. mark — to pay attention

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