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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 120 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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. fine — all right
  4. fine — high quality
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. prune — to trim
  7. stick — to attach or keep to
  8. key — for a lock
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. hide — animal skin
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bound — certain
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. key — in music
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. prune — to trim
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pit — a fruit stone
  22. bound — obliged
  23. key — the most important part
  24. pit — in a race

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