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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  21. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  22. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. snap — to snap out of it
  4. wind — moving air
  5. shower — rain
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. wind — to turn a key
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. key — for a lock
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. shower — to wash
  12. firm — decided
  13. firm — steady
  14. key — in music
  15. key — the most important part
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. toast — a drink to someone
  19. firm — a company
  20. toast — bread
  21. toast — the most admired
  22. wind — moving air
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. snap — to click

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