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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 the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  2. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. When are we going to ________________?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. coach — pulled by horses
  2. saw — past of 'see'
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. land — ground
  6. key — for a lock
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. land — a country
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. saw — the tool
  13. key — in music
  14. land — to come down
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. dip — to sink
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. saw — the tool
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. dip — a sauce
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. nail — on a finger

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