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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. It's one o'clock ________________.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. The ________________ took off on time.
  22. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. saw — the tool
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. sharp — clever
  8. chip — for betting
  9. chip — in a computer
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. cell — in biology
  12. plane — a tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. chair — a leader
  16. sharp — exactly
  17. chip — to eat
  18. cell — a phone
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. plane — an aircraft
  22. saw — past of 'see'
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. chair — a professorship

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