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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. We're almost out of ________________.
  20. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. You don't need to ________________ round.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. pop — music
  4. deal — to handle
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. ball — a dance
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. pass — a permit
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. ball — a great time
  14. squash — the sport
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. straw — to clutch at straws
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — in music
  19. pop — soda
  20. squash — to crush
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. pop — to visit
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. key — the most important part

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