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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  4. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  5. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  23. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. key — in music
  3. pitch — a sales talk
  4. current — of water
  5. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. key — the most important part
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. current — happening now
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. pitch — completely
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. craft — boats
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. mark — a trace
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. patient — calm and waiting
  21. kid — child
  22. kid — to tease
  23. current — electric
  24. mark — a grade

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