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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. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  2. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. stand — on your feet
  3. key — in music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. key — for a lock
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. track — a song
  11. march — music
  12. key — the most important part
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. march — the month
  15. foot — a measure
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. track — a path
  18. land — a country
  19. land — ground
  20. track — to keep track
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. land — to come down
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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