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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  19. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  20. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — to keep at bay
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. deal — to handle
  7. key — in music
  8. rash — hasty
  9. pitch — completely
  10. present — a gift
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. key — for a lock
  13. spring — a coil
  14. rash — a series
  15. spring — of water
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. spring — the season
  19. face — to point toward
  20. face — part of the head
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. key — the most important part
  24. face — to confront

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