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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  8. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  9. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. You don't need to ________________ round.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. pop — soda
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. scale — in music
  5. object — a thing
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. drill — a practice
  8. drill — army training
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. object — an aim
  11. march — the month
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. key — in music
  14. pop — to visit
  15. object — to protest
  16. pop — music
  17. march — the month
  18. scale — size or range
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. key — for a lock
  21. drill — the tool
  22. key — the most important part
  23. march — music
  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