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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  11. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He is an ace ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. chip — for betting
  3. can — to be able to
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. present — the time now
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. can — a tin
  10. chip — in a computer
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. bulb — for light
  13. mark — a grade
  14. key — for a lock
  15. key — the most important part
  16. chip — to eat
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. mark — a trace
  20. present — a gift
  21. can — a tin
  22. bulb — for light
  23. key — in music
  24. pitcher — in baseball

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