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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 116 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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. key — the most important part
  3. scale — in music
  4. can — a tin
  5. mate — a partner
  6. mate — to breed
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. season — of the year
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. scale — for weighing
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. can — to be able to
  14. key — in music
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. key — for a lock
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. scale — size or range
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. can — a tin
  24. straw — a straw man

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