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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. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. The ________________ market has crashed.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. band — a ring
  2. swing — in golf
  3. saw — the tool
  4. stock — shares
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. pass — a permit
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. key — in music
  9. swing — music
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. saw — the tool
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. stock — a soup base
  14. swing — to play on
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stock — goods
  21. band — a music group
  22. key — for a lock
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. bay — a horse colour

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