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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  24. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. suit — clothes
  4. chest — of your body
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. rule — government
  7. chest — of your body
  8. pit — in a race
  9. degree — temperature
  10. suit — to fit
  11. chair — a leader
  12. rule — to rule out
  13. pit — a hole
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. degree — from a university
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. rule — a law
  18. suit — in cards
  19. degree — an amount
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chip — for betting
  23. chip — to eat
  24. chest — a box

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