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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  22. The ________________ took off on time.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  24. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — out of danger
  2. key — for a lock
  3. capital — a city
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. key — in music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. key — the most important part
  16. capital — money
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. lie — to recline
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. plane — an aircraft
  23. racket — a loud noise
  24. plane — a tool

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