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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. The ball is in your ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. key — for a lock
  4. court — of a king
  5. court — of law
  6. court — for sport
  7. key — the most important part
  8. fall — to drop
  9. suit — in cards
  10. march — the month
  11. march — the month
  12. suit — to fit
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. rock — music
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. rock — a stone
  19. fall — the season
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. fall — to drop
  22. key — in music
  23. mine — for digging
  24. march — music

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