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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  14. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. At ________________, we arrived at the village.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. key — in music
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. bark — to shout
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. last — final
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. bark — a dog's sound
  14. straw — dry grass
  15. last — to go on
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitch — completely
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. key — for a lock
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. pass — a permit
  24. last — finally

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