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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.

Make a worksheet

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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  7. The ________________ took off on time.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  14. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. cap — a lid
  3. wake — a trail
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. rest — what's left
  6. snap — to speak sharply
  7. plane — an aircraft
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. key — the most important part
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. plane — a tool
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. wake — before a funeral
  14. cap — a hat
  15. rest — a break
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cap — of ice
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. rest — what's left
  22. prune — to trim
  23. key — for a lock
  24. prune — to trim

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