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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: mark · wave · game · squash · bay · staff · firm · chair

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  3. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. firm — decided
  3. game — wild animals
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. staff — a stick
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. mark — a trace
  8. firm — a company
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. firm — steady
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. mark — a grade
  13. wave — of the sea
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. staff — employees
  16. chair — a leader
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. game — a match
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. squash — to crush
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. staff — employees
  23. squash — the sport
  24. bay — a horse colour

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