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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  10. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. net — for catching
  4. rock — a stone
  5. fine — all right
  6. net — in sport
  7. key — the most important part
  8. rock — music
  9. net — after costs
  10. pitch — a sales talk
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. key — for a lock
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. board — a committee
  16. plane — a tool
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. board — to get on
  19. key — in music
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. pitch — completely
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. fine — high quality
  24. rock — to move gently

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