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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.

Make a worksheet

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: hide · bay · stock · leaves · mouse · plane · fan · chair

  1. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  5. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  6. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. The ________________ market has crashed.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — a professorship
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. chair — to sit on
  5. stock — a soup base
  6. fan — a supporter
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. chair — a leader
  9. stock — shares
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. stock — goods
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. plane — a tool
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. fan — to cool the air
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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