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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.

Make a worksheet

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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  15. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. chip — for betting
  5. wax — in the ear
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. season — of the year
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. wax — for sculpting
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. dip — to sink
  15. wax — to grow
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. key — the most important part
  19. key — for a lock
  20. chip — to eat
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. key — in music

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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