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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. The water is too ________________.
  7. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  8. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  9. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  10. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  11. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. cold — not warm
  7. cold — the Cold War
  8. content — videos and posts
  9. content — the amount
  10. cold — an illness
  11. row — a line
  12. key — for a lock
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. content — happy
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. row — to paddle
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. key — the most important part

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