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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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. pit — in a race
  3. key — the most important part
  4. bat — in an idiom
  5. present — there
  6. key — in music
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bore — gave birth
  10. present — a gift
  11. craft — boats
  12. bat — the animal
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. bore — to drill
  17. key — for a lock
  18. pit — a hole
  19. present — the time now
  20. rash — hasty
  21. bore — to tire
  22. rash — a series
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. craft — a skill

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