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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 fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  17. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  18. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  19. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. key — for a lock
  2. bass — the fish
  3. bass — low music
  4. face — part of the head
  5. can — to be able to
  6. file — a tool
  7. can — a tin
  8. face — to confront
  9. file — a document
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. bass — the instrument
  12. key — the most important part
  13. key — in music
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — a permit
  16. file — a line of people
  17. face — to point toward
  18. calf — of the leg
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. foot — a measure
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. can — a tin

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