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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: present · bay · bulb · lie · straw · safe · chair · plane

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. present — the time now
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. chair — a professorship
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. lie — to recline
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. present — there
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. present — a gift
  18. chair — a leader
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bulb — for light
  21. plane — a tool
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. safe — a strongbox

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