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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.

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 · firm · sharp · calf · game · mug · bay · fall

  1. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  13. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. game — wild animals
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. fall — to drop
  5. game — a match
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. mug — to rob
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. calf — of the leg
  13. fall — to drop
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. chair — a leader
  17. firm — steady
  18. fall — the season
  19. sharp — clever
  20. calf — a young animal
  21. mug — a cup
  22. firm — decided
  23. mug — a face
  24. firm — a company

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