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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. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  2. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lie — an untruth
  2. capital — money
  3. key — for a lock
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. lie — to recline
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. field — a subject
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. current — of water
  13. key — in music
  14. capital — a city
  15. current — happening now
  16. mark — a trace
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. squash — to crush
  19. field — farmland
  20. squash — the sport
  21. capital — a big letter
  22. key — the most important part
  23. field — for sport
  24. current — electric

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