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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 120 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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. The ________________ took off on time.
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. plane — in geometry
  3. key — the most important part
  4. plane — an aircraft
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. file — a document
  7. file — a line of people
  8. pound — a weight
  9. key — in music
  10. plane — a tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. bank — of a river
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. file — a tool
  15. bank — for money
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. chip — to eat
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pound — for dogs
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. chip — for betting

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