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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
468
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 · rush · bay · mark · coach · fork · object · rash

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. That must've been a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. rash — a series
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. mark — a grade
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. object — a thing
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. object — an aim
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. object — to protest
  13. chair — a leader
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. coach — pulled by horses
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. rush — hurry
  20. fork — to eat with
  21. fork — in a road
  22. mark — a trace
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. rush — a thrill

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