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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.

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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. rest — what's left
  3. spring — a coil
  4. key — in music
  5. spring — of water
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. fine — all right
  8. current — happening now
  9. sharp — clever
  10. mate — to breed
  11. mate — a friend
  12. key — the most important part
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. rest — what's left
  16. fine — high quality
  17. mate — a partner
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. spring — the season
  20. current — of water
  21. rest — a break
  22. key — for a lock
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. current — electric

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