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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  3. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  12. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. Tom got himself in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. chest — a box
  3. bear — the animal
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. cap — a lid
  6. cap — of ice
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bear — the animal
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. dip — a sauce
  12. chest — of your body
  13. cap — a hat
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. dip — to sink
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — in music
  23. chest — of your body
  24. jam — a tight spot

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