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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. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  22. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.

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

Answer key

  1. chest — of your body
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. key — for a lock
  4. pass — a permit
  5. chest — a box
  6. firm — steady
  7. mine — for digging
  8. key — in music
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. branch — a division
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. firm — a company
  18. firm — decided
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. mine — belonging to me
  22. chest — of your body
  23. key — the most important part
  24. branch — of a bank

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