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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 120 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: club · bulb · present · chest · chair · leaves · court · bay

  1. I've got to change the light ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. The light ________________ burned out.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. present — the time now
  3. club — a group
  4. court — of law
  5. present — there
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. court — of a king
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. club — for golf
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chest — of your body
  13. bulb — for light
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. club — for dancing
  18. present — a gift
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. court — for sport
  21. chair — a leader
  22. chest — a box
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. chest — of your body

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