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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. ground — the earth
  3. file — a document
  4. bear — the animal
  5. can — a tin
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. mark — a grade
  8. key — in music
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. can — a tin
  12. pass — a permit
  13. ground — a position
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. file — a line of people
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a trace
  20. can — to be able to
  21. key — the most important part
  22. ground — crushed
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. file — a tool

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