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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  14. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  15. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. face — to confront
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. deal — to handle
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. bass — low music
  11. spell — letters
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. face — part of the head
  14. face — to point toward
  15. bass — the fish
  16. present — there
  17. present — a gift
  18. key — in music
  19. present — the time now
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. key — the most important part
  22. spell — magic
  23. key — for a lock
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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