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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  9. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  15. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. face — to point toward
  5. chair — a leader
  6. toast — bread
  7. charge — a price
  8. degree — an amount
  9. degree — from a university
  10. charge — in control
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. charge — electricity
  14. court — of a king
  15. face — to confront
  16. court — for sport
  17. degree — temperature
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. court — of law
  24. face — part of the head

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