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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. When are we going to ________________?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  5. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  18. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. land — to come down
  2. key — for a lock
  3. shower — to wash
  4. can — to be able to
  5. net — after costs
  6. land — a country
  7. net — for catching
  8. land — ground
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. key — in music
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. kick — with a leg
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. net — in sport
  18. kick — a thrill
  19. can — a tin
  20. key — the most important part
  21. shower — rain
  22. can — a tin
  23. kick — in football
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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