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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. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. The tickets are free of ________________.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  15. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  20. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. clip — to cut
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. track — to keep track
  4. charge — a price
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. march — the month
  8. foot — a measure
  9. charge — electricity
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. track — a song
  12. key — in music
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. ruler — a monarch
  15. charge — in control
  16. key — for a lock
  17. march — the month
  18. clip — a video
  19. track — a path
  20. march — music
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. key — the most important part
  24. clip — for paper

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