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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  20. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  23. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bear — to put up with
  4. last — final
  5. bat — for baseball
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. bat — the animal
  8. last — to go on
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. object — an aim
  11. bat — in an idiom
  12. key — in music
  13. key — the most important part
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bear — the animal
  18. tear — to rip
  19. object — a thing
  20. tear — from crying
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. tear — from crying
  23. last — finally
  24. object — to protest

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