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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. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. I've got to change the light ________________.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. mark — to pay attention
  2. object — a thing
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. chair — a leader
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. bulb — for light
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wind — moving air
  16. wind — moving air
  17. mark — a grade
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mark — a trace
  20. object — an aim
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. bulb — for light
  24. object — to protest

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