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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. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. Don't do anything ________________.
  13. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — bread
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. chest — of your body
  4. firm — a company
  5. rash — a series
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. key — the most important part
  9. firm — decided
  10. firm — steady
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. rash — hasty
  13. chest — of your body
  14. board — to get on
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. foot — a measure
  19. key — in music
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. foot — the bottom
  22. chest — a box
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. board — a committee

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