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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: lean · court · bear · chair · bay · face · fan · safe

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. chair — a leader
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. court — of law
  10. face — to point toward
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. lean — thin
  15. court — of a king
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. face — to confront
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. face — part of the head
  21. court — for sport
  22. fan — to cool the air
  23. lean — to bend
  24. bear — the animal

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