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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. The ball is in your ________________.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. The ________________ market has crashed.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. court — for sport
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hand — in cards
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bank — of a river
  6. present — a gift
  7. key — in music
  8. present — there
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. bank — for money
  12. key — for a lock
  13. hand — help
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. stock — shares
  17. present — the time now
  18. court — of law
  19. stock — goods
  20. lie — to recline
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. court — of a king
  24. bank — for money

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