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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 120 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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She's very handy with a ________________.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  15. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  23. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. key — for a lock
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. march — the month
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. rash — on the skin
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. saw — the tool
  12. march — music
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. rash — a series
  15. fall — to drop
  16. rash — hasty
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. march — the month
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. fall — to drop
  21. key — the most important part
  22. fall — the season
  23. branch — a division
  24. key — in music

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