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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. We're almost out of ________________.
  5. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  6. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  7. That must've been a ________________.
  8. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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. key — the most important part
  3. pop — to visit
  4. pop — soda
  5. chip — in a computer
  6. shower — rain
  7. rush — a thrill
  8. shower — to wash
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. pop — music
  11. cap — of ice
  12. chip — for betting
  13. chip — to eat
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. shower — a meteor shower
  16. rush — hurry
  17. key — in music
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. ball — a great time
  23. key — for a lock
  24. cap — a hat

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