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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. The ________________ took off on time.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  5. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  8. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. plane — an aircraft
  3. spring — a coil
  4. file — a line of people
  5. plane — a tool
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. chair — a professorship
  8. plane — in geometry
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. chair — a leader
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. firm — a company
  15. spring — the season
  16. file — a tool
  17. firm — decided
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. can — a tin
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. spring — of water
  22. firm — steady
  23. can — a tin
  24. file — a document

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