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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.

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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: bay · cap · swing · hide · chair · arm · foot · pit

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. My father caught me by the ________________.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. foot — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. chair — a leader
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. cap — of ice
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. cap — a hat
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. pit — a hole
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. swing — in golf
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. cap — a lid
  22. swing — music
  23. pit — in a race
  24. swing — to play on

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