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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  4. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. My mare is ________________ in color.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I've got to change the light ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. fine — all right
  3. fine — a penalty
  4. present — the time now
  5. fall — to drop
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. bay — a horse colour
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. cue — a signal
  10. key — in music
  11. pound — a weight
  12. cue — a hint
  13. present — there
  14. key — the most important part
  15. bulb — for light
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. cue — for pool
  18. key — for a lock
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bulb — for light
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fall — to drop
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. fall — the season

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