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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. chair — to sit on
  3. pit — in a race
  4. spell — letters
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. can — a tin
  7. spell — magic
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. chip — for betting
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. staff — employees
  13. can — to be able to
  14. pit — a hole
  15. chair — a leader
  16. chip — to eat
  17. spell — a short time
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. pit — a fruit stone
  20. staff — a stick
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. staff — employees
  24. can — a tin

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