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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 116 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: nail · stick · lie · bay · racket · rest · present · chair

  1. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. rest — what's left
  4. lie — to recline
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. present — there
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. present — a gift
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. present — the time now
  16. stick — to attach or keep to
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rest — what's left
  19. chair — a leader
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. nail — on a finger
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. rest — a break
  24. racket — for tennis

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