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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 120 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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. The tickets are free of ________________.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  21. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  22. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. key — the most important part
  3. perch — for a bird
  4. hand — in cards
  5. hand — help
  6. bound — certain
  7. charge — a price
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. bound — obliged
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. charge — electricity
  15. key — in music
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. charge — in control
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. perch — the fish
  21. bound — tied together
  22. bowl — a football final
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. chair — a leader

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