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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. key — the most important part
  3. key — for a lock
  4. ground — a position
  5. ground — crushed
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. ball — a great time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. ground — the earth
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. toast — bread
  17. ball — a dance
  18. kid — to tease
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. key — in music
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. kid — child

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