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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: bay · chair · rule · present · foot · craft

  1. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  13. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. 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. foot — part of the body
  2. craft — boats
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. craft — a skill
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rule — government
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. foot — a measure
  9. present — a gift
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. present — there
  13. chair — to sit on
  14. chair — a leader
  15. present — the time now
  16. rule — a law
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. 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