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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. Have you met the new head ________________?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. That was ________________ to happen.
  23. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  24. Beijing is the ________________ of China.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. staff — employees
  6. bound — tied together
  7. bound — obliged
  8. staff — employees
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. staff — a stick
  12. key — for a lock
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. pitch — completely
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. key — in music
  17. capital — a big letter
  18. key — the most important part
  19. saw — the tool
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bound — certain
  23. capital — money
  24. capital — a city

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