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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. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  13. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. chair — a leader
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. sharp — clever
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ground — crushed
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. ground — the earth
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. toast — a drink to someone
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. chip — to eat
  22. chip — for betting
  23. toast — bread
  24. ground — a position

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