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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. We're on a ________________ here.
  11. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  12. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. row — to paddle
  4. drill — the tool
  5. bear — the animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. roll — a list
  8. capital — money
  9. drill — army training
  10. roll — on a roll
  11. drill — a practice
  12. capital — a city
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. key — in music
  15. row — a line
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. degree — from a university
  18. key — the most important part
  19. row — a quarrel
  20. bear — the animal
  21. degree — temperature
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. roll — a cake
  24. bay — a horse colour

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