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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  3. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The moon will ________________ and wane.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. prune — to trim
  5. fall — to drop
  6. prune — to trim
  7. fall — to drop
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. file — a line of people
  11. key — the most important part
  12. fall — the season
  13. key — for a lock
  14. suit — in cards
  15. suit — clothes
  16. suit — to fit
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wax — in the ear
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. file — a tool
  22. key — in music
  23. file — a document
  24. wax — to grow

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