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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  12. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. land — ground
  4. content — the amount
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. land — a country
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. key — in music
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. chest — of your body
  12. cue — for pool
  13. content — happy
  14. chest — of your body
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. cue — a signal
  17. chest — a box
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. land — to come down
  20. stand — to bear
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. cue — a hint
  23. key — for a lock
  24. content — videos and posts

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