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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  8. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. rock — a stone
  4. key — the most important part
  5. key — for a lock
  6. bulb — for light
  7. bulb — of a plant
  8. cap — a lid
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. cap — a hat
  11. firm — steady
  12. bulb — for light
  13. cap — of ice
  14. present — the time now
  15. present — there
  16. firm — a company
  17. band — a rubber band
  18. firm — decided
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. band — a music group
  22. present — a gift
  23. key — in music
  24. rock — 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