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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Did you ________________ the button?
  19. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. perch — the fish
  3. key — the most important part
  4. present — a gift
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. dip — to sink
  8. press — a publisher
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. saw — the tool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. saw — the tool
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. key — in music
  18. press — to push
  19. press — newspapers
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. present — the time now
  22. present — there
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. dip — to dunk

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