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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  9. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. march — music
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. wind — moving air
  6. can — a tin
  7. key — the most important part
  8. charge — electricity
  9. can — a tin
  10. charge — in control
  11. march — the month
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. march — the month
  17. can — to be able to
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. key — in music
  22. wind — moving air
  23. charge — a price
  24. lash — an eyelash

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