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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. There's no middle ________________.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. He is an ace ________________.
  24. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. mug — to rob
  3. object — a thing
  4. saw — the tool
  5. key — for a lock
  6. key — in music
  7. object — an aim
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. pitcher — a jug
  10. land — to come down
  11. object — to protest
  12. mug — a cup
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. ground — a position
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. land — ground
  18. ground — crushed
  19. mug — a face
  20. key — the most important part
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. ground — the earth
  23. pitcher — in baseball
  24. land — a country

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