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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. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. key — the most important part
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. can — a tin
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. bank — for money
  6. current — of water
  7. bank — of a river
  8. current — happening now
  9. can — a tin
  10. bank — for money
  11. bass — the fish
  12. can — to be able to
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. key — in music
  18. current — electric
  19. pass — a permit
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. bass — low music
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. date — the fruit

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