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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He works in a ________________ mill.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  5. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  21. When are we going to ________________?
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. saw — the tool
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. cue — for pool
  5. perch — the fish
  6. sharp — clever
  7. cue — a hint
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. land — a country
  11. saw — the tool
  12. ball — a dance
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. ball — a great time
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. perch — for a bird
  21. land — to come down
  22. land — ground
  23. cue — a signal
  24. bay — a horse colour

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