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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  20. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  21. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. key — in music
  3. foot — part of the body
  4. bat — the animal
  5. face — to confront
  6. squash — the vegetable
  7. face — part of the head
  8. vault — a safe
  9. face — to point toward
  10. squash — the sport
  11. squash — to crush
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. vault — in gymnastics
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — the season
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. key — for a lock
  19. foot — a measure
  20. vault — an arched ceiling
  21. bat — in an idiom
  22. fall — to drop
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. key — the most important part

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