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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 116 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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. Did you ________________ the button?
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  18. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. key — the most important part
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. key — in music
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. firm — steady
  11. press — a publisher
  12. key — for a lock
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. press — to push
  16. firm — decided
  17. press — newspapers
  18. safe — out of danger

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