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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  22. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. chair — a leader
  4. row — a line
  5. tube — the underground
  6. net — in sport
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. snap — to speak sharply
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. row — to paddle
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. tube — a container
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. net — for catching
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. snap — to click
  22. net — after costs
  23. pass — a permit
  24. snap — to snap out of it

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