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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  3. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  4. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. False peace will not ________________.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. last — final
  3. band — a ring
  4. last — finally
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. key — for a lock
  7. bank — for money
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. last — to go on
  11. cue — a signal
  12. cue — a hint
  13. band — a rubber band
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. band — a music group
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. lie — to recline
  19. lie — an untruth
  20. cue — for pool
  21. bank — for money
  22. key — the most important part
  23. bank — of a river
  24. fan — to cool the air

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