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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.

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: chair · prune · ground · bay · charge · saw · jam · march

  1. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  10. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  11. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — crushed
  2. ground — the earth
  3. saw — past of 'see'
  4. march — music
  5. march — the month
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. chair — to sit on
  10. charge — electricity
  11. charge — in control
  12. prune — to trim
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. march — the month
  17. prune — to trim
  18. charge — a price
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. chair — a leader
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. ground — a position

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