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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. I can't ________________ this cold.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  20. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. stand — to bear
  3. face — to confront
  4. drill — the tool
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. drill — army training
  7. key — in music
  8. race — humankind
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. bank — for money
  12. race — the arms race
  13. face — part of the head
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. drill — a practice
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bank — of a river
  20. key — the most important part
  21. face — to point toward
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. race — a contest
  24. bank — for money

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