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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  16. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. band — a music group
  3. kick — with a leg
  4. hand — in cards
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. sharp — clever
  7. key — for a lock
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. band — a ring
  10. kick — in football
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. hand — help
  13. key — the most important part
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. band — a rubber band
  16. kick — a thrill
  17. key — in music
  18. bay — a horse colour

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