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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  13. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  14. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. drill — army training
  3. key — the most important part
  4. mark — a trace
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. key — in music
  10. straw — dry grass
  11. drill — a practice
  12. bore — to drill
  13. object — a thing
  14. bore — to tire
  15. object — to protest
  16. straw — a straw man
  17. object — an aim
  18. fine — high quality
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. drill — the tool
  21. fine — all right
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. mark — a grade

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