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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: chair · scale · bay · spell · hide · can · track · cue

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  3. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  7. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. How do you ________________ your surname?
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. Recycle the empty soda ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. can — to be able to
  3. cue — a hint
  4. spell — magic
  5. chair — a leader
  6. scale — size or range
  7. scale — in music
  8. track — a song
  9. can — a tin
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. spell — a short time
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. track — to keep track
  18. spell — letters
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. track — a path
  21. cue — a signal
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. cue — for pool
  24. can — a tin

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