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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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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 · rest · swing · scale · drill · net · deal · bay

  1. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. David sat on the ________________.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. rest — a break
  3. net — for catching
  4. scale — in music
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. drill — a practice
  7. scale — size or range
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. swing — to play on
  10. drill — army training
  11. rest — what's left
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. chair — a leader
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. swing — music
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. net — in sport
  19. deal — to handle
  20. net — after costs
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. drill — the tool
  23. rest — what's left
  24. swing — in golf

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