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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.

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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: spell · board · bay · can · net · mark · craft · chair

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  9. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. How do you ________________ your surname?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. board — to get on
  3. net — in sport
  4. spell — magic
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. craft — a skill
  8. board — a flat piece
  9. board — a committee
  10. spell — a short time
  11. can — a tin
  12. can — a tin
  13. mark — a grade
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. net — for catching
  16. craft — boats
  17. mark — a trace
  18. net — after costs
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. chair — a leader
  23. spell — letters
  24. can — to be able to

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