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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. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. The water is too ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The light ________________ burned out.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. drill — a practice
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. bulb — for light
  6. chair — a leader
  7. bat — the animal
  8. drill — army training
  9. cold — an illness
  10. cold — not warm
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. cold — the Cold War
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. suit — to fit
  15. suit — in cards
  16. bulb — for light
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. drill — the tool
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. bat — for baseball
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. suit — clothes

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