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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. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. False peace will not ________________.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  24. Where can I ________________ my mobile?

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

Answer key

  1. kick — in football
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. charge — a price
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. key — in music
  6. last — to go on
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mark — a grade
  10. wake — before a funeral
  11. key — for a lock
  12. charge — in control
  13. last — final
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. last — finally
  17. kick — with a leg
  18. mark — a trace
  19. wake — a trail
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. fork — in a road
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. key — the most important part
  24. charge — electricity

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