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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.

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: craft · file · roll · object · season · toast · chair · bay

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  22. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. object — a thing
  3. craft — a skill
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. toast — bread
  8. chair — a leader
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. file — a tool
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. file — a document
  14. season — in sport
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. file — a line of people
  18. object — to protest
  19. roll — a cake
  20. season — of the year
  21. roll — a list
  22. toast — a drink to someone
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. object — an aim

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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