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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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  11. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  12. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. key — the most important part
  3. wind — moving air
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. wind — moving air
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. degree — temperature
  10. degree — an amount
  11. mouse — for a computer
  12. face — to confront
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. wind — to turn a key
  15. face — to point toward
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. face — part of the head
  18. degree — from a university
  19. key — in music
  20. squash — to crush
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. key — for a lock
  24. squash — the vegetable

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