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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: roll · bay · stand · scale · chair · saw · key · present

  1. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. chair — a professorship
  3. stand — to bear
  4. roll — a cake
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. key — in music
  7. key — the most important part
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. roll — a list
  10. key — for a lock
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. present — there
  15. chair — a leader
  16. present — a gift
  17. stand — for spectators
  18. present — the time now
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. scale — in music
  21. scale — size or range
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. scale — for weighing

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