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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  12. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. spring — the season
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. spring — a coil
  8. spell — magic
  9. key — the most important part
  10. spring — of water
  11. content — videos and posts
  12. board — to get on
  13. content — happy
  14. pass — a permit
  15. board — a committee
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bat — in an idiom
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. bat — the animal
  21. key — in music
  22. content — the amount
  23. spell — a short time
  24. board — a flat piece

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