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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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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. kid — child
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. pass — a permit
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. key — in music
  10. key — the most important part
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. stand — to bear
  14. kid — to tease
  15. key — for a lock
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. pass — to succeed

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