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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  3. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  6. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  11. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. clip — to cut
  3. clip — a video
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bass — the instrument
  6. bay — a part of the sea
  7. bass — the fish
  8. staff — employees
  9. key — in music
  10. bat — the animal
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. staff — employees
  13. bank — of a river
  14. bank — for money
  15. clip — for paper
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. bat — for baseball
  18. key — for a lock
  19. bank — for money
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. staff — a stick
  23. stick — to attach or keep to
  24. bass — low 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