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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  7. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. key — the most important part
  3. firm — decided
  4. wake — a trail
  5. firm — a company
  6. face — to point toward
  7. foot — a measure
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. key — for a lock
  10. present — a gift
  11. firm — steady
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. wake — to stop sleeping
  16. face — to confront
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. foot — the bottom
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. face — part of the head
  23. key — in music
  24. present — there

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