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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. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  2. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. I can't ________________ this cold.
  10. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. toast — a drink to someone
  2. stand — for spectators
  3. key — in music
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. fork — in a road
  6. key — the most important part
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. stand — to bear
  10. mine — belonging to me
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. snap — to click
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. deal — to handle
  16. mine — for digging
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. snap — to snap out of it
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. key — for a lock
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. toast — bread

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