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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. key — the most important part
  3. rest — a break
  4. pass — a permit
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. band — a music group
  10. key — in music
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. chair — a leader
  13. rest — what's left
  14. scale — in music
  15. scale — size or range
  16. rest — what's left
  17. scale — for weighing
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. chair — a professorship
  20. band — a ring
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. key — for a lock

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