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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  13. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. fan — a supporter
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. branch — a division
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. perch — the fish
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. key — in music
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. key — for a lock
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. bank — for money
  21. bank — for money
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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