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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: game · chair · sharp · hand · key · mate · bay · object

  1. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. chair — a leader
  6. sharp — clever
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. key — for a lock
  10. mate — a friend
  11. key — in music
  12. hand — help
  13. key — the most important part
  14. game — wild animals
  15. mate — to breed
  16. hand — in cards
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. object — to protest
  22. mate — a partner
  23. object — an aim
  24. game — a match

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