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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. That was ________________ to happen.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  11. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. bound — obliged
  3. row — to paddle
  4. key — in music
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. cap — a lid
  7. bound — certain
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. row — a line
  11. cap — a hat
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. key — the most important part
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. object — an aim
  17. object — to protest
  18. object — a thing
  19. bound — tied together
  20. face — part of the head
  21. face — to confront
  22. rock — a stone
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cap — of ice

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