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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  2. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  3. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  17. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. trunk — of a car
  2. suit — clothes
  3. face — part of the head
  4. face — to point toward
  5. suit — to fit
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. trunk — of a tree
  9. chair — a leader
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. track — a path
  12. track — a song
  13. face — to confront
  14. spell — magic
  15. spell — letters
  16. trunk — of an elephant
  17. coach — a trainer
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. spell — a short time
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. suit — in cards
  22. track — to keep track
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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