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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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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: bowl · firm · cabinet · object · pass · chair · bulb · bay

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. bulb — for light
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bulb — for light
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. firm — decided
  12. chair — a leader
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. object — to protest
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. pass — a permit
  17. object — a thing
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. firm — a company
  22. object — an aim
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. bowl — a football final

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