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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: object · chair · bay · leaves · fine · current · present · wake

  1. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  22. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — before a funeral
  2. present — there
  3. object — to protest
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. fine — high quality
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. fine — all right
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. object — an aim
  12. present — a gift
  13. current — happening now
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. present — the time now
  16. chair — a leader
  17. current — of water
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. wake — a trail
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. wake — to stop sleeping
  22. current — electric
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. object — a thing

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