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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 · bowl · lean · pit · wake · rest · bass · chair

  1. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bass — low music
  4. pit — in a race
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. rest — a break
  8. wake — a trail
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bass — the fish
  11. lean — to bend
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. chair — a professorship
  14. rest — what's left
  15. wake — before a funeral
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. lean — thin
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. rest — what's left
  22. chair — a leader
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. bass — the instrument

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