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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 sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. He is an ace ________________.
  22. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. chip — to eat
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. trunk — of a tree
  6. key — for a lock
  7. content — videos and posts
  8. key — in music
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. content — the amount
  12. lean — thin
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. content — happy
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. key — the most important part
  17. lean — to bend
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. chip — for betting
  21. pitcher — in baseball
  22. trunk — of an elephant
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. pitcher — a jug

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