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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. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  14. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. key — the most important part
  3. fork — in a road
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. key — in music
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. last — final
  14. wax — to grow
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. last — to go on
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. wax — for sculpting
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. wax — in the ear
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. key — for a lock
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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