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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. cell — in biology
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — to rob
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. key — the most important part
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. land — a country
  14. mug — a face
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a dance
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bay — to keep at bay
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. land — ground
  21. key — for a lock
  22. cell — a phone
  23. land — to come down
  24. cell — in a prison

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