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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: bay · leaves · suit · band · chair · saw · deal · stock

  1. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. suit — to fit
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. band — a music group
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. suit — clothes
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. band — a ring
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. deal — an agreement
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. stock — goods
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. saw — the tool
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stock — shares
  19. saw — past of 'see'
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. chair — a leader
  23. deal — to handle
  24. chair — to sit on

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