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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: chair · face · bay · jam · hide · present

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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. present — there
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. jam — to spread on bread
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. present — a gift
  8. chair — a leader
  9. face — to point toward
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. present — the time now
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. face — part of the head
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. face — to confront

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