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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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. leaves — to go away
  3. net — for catching
  4. tube — a container
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. arm — a part of something
  7. key — the most important part
  8. tube — the underground
  9. ball — a great time
  10. net — in sport
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. net — after costs
  15. key — for a lock
  16. ground — crushed
  17. ground — the earth
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. ball — a dance
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. ground — a position
  23. key — in music
  24. ball — a round shape

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