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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. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  2. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  8. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  9. How do you ________________ your surname?
  10. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — part of the body
  2. firm — a company
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. band — a ring
  7. band — a rubber band
  8. spell — magic
  9. spell — letters
  10. hand — in cards
  11. key — in music
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lie — to recline
  14. spell — a short time
  15. hand — help
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. band — a music group
  18. firm — steady
  19. key — for a lock
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. firm — decided
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. fork — in a road

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