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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  8. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  9. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  10. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. When will it ________________ you to start?
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. key — the most important part
  3. suit — clothes
  4. bank — for money
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. rock — a stone
  7. degree — from a university
  8. spell — a short time
  9. bank — for money
  10. rock — to move gently
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. degree — temperature
  13. key — in music
  14. spell — magic
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. key — for a lock
  17. suit — to fit
  18. degree — an amount
  19. spell — letters
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. rock — music
  24. bank — of a river

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