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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He was locked up in a ________________.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  12. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  15. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. We're on a ________________ here.
  21. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  22. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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 — in music
  3. firm — a company
  4. bear — the animal
  5. cell — in a prison
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. can — a tin
  8. firm — steady
  9. firm — decided
  10. key — for a lock
  11. degree — an amount
  12. roll — a cake
  13. bear — the animal
  14. cell — in biology
  15. cell — a phone
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. can — to be able to
  18. degree — temperature
  19. can — a tin
  20. roll — on a roll
  21. degree — from a university
  22. roll — a list
  23. key — the most important part
  24. bay — a horse colour

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