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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 · bay · bear · roll · nail · staff · pit · firm

  1. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. We're on a ________________ here.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. bear — the animal
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. roll — a cake
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. firm — a company
  7. roll — a list
  8. firm — decided
  9. chair — a leader
  10. staff — a stick
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. roll — on a roll
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. firm — steady
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — a hole
  21. staff — employees
  22. staff — employees
  23. bear — the animal
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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