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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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Word bank
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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 · bay · rock · craft · press · firm

  1. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Did you ________________ the button?
  14. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  15. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a leader
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. firm — decided
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. firm — steady
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. rock — music
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. firm — a company
  12. rock — a stone
  13. press — to push
  14. press — newspapers
  15. press — a publisher
  16. craft — a skill
  17. chair — to sit on
  18. rock — to move gently

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