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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. mark — to pay attention
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mark — a trace
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. wind — moving air
  7. wind — moving air
  8. can — a tin
  9. key — in music
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. can — a tin
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. mark — a grade
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. key — for a lock
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bore — to tire
  21. kid — child
  22. bore — to drill
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. kid — to tease

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