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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. chair — a professorship
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. last — to go on
  6. bass — low music
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. last — final
  9. ground — a position
  10. foot — a measure
  11. net — for catching
  12. bass — the fish
  13. ground — crushed
  14. net — after costs
  15. rule — government
  16. chair — to sit on
  17. chair — a leader
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. bass — the instrument
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. ground — the earth
  22. net — in sport
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. rule — a law

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